Some of us can relate to the driver. It is possible that his "POS" car was his only form of transportation. It is also possible that without a running car, he doesn't get to go to work. Finally, to some people, $1,100 is serious cash that they worked hard for and can't easily part with.
Furthermore, whose to say he didn't try and reach a settlement privately, only to be told to go screw himself?
Decency? What is decent about expecting this guy to eat $1,100 of his hard-earned money for something that most will freely admit was not his fault?
Oh, I get it. It's all about feeeeelings because poor Fester got killed because his owners failed to control him. And because they feeeeel bad about losing their dog through their own negligence, we should just let them off the hook for the damage their negligence caused?
Furthermore, whose to say he didn't try and reach a settlement privately, only to be told to go screw himself?
One could also say that the family tried to settle, but this POS demanded time-from-work to prepare a case and other costs that the grief stricken family found ridiculous.