In Southern California, we regularly see billboards along the freeways advertising seven-figure settlements and verdicts forpersonal injuryvictims. But what about the verdicts that reach into the billions? In certain catastrophic cases involving particularly egregious behavior by defendants, juries have carried out justice by making awards to injured victims for not only their costs of medical care, pain and suffering, and lost income but also punitive damages which can indeed reach into the billions. Here are 5 of the largest personal injury verdicts on record:
$150 Billion in Burning Case
In a horrific case of child abuse, an eight-year old boy in Texas was sexually assaulted by a teenager, then doused in gasoline and set on fire. The boy survived with 99% of his body covered in burns, and he later died from skin cancer doctors believed was connected to the fire. A Texas jury awarded the boy’s family $150 billion in a civilwrongful deathsuit, a symbolic victory given the defendant’s lack of resources.
$145 Billion in Landmark Tobacco Case
In 2000, a Florida jury awarded $144.8 billion to a class of cigarette consumers who had brought personal injury claims against Philip Morris, R.J. Reynolds, and several other cigarette manufacturers.
$28 Billion for Los Angeles Smoker
Only a few years later, a Los Angeles jury handed down a $28 billion award in favor of Betsy Bullock, a lifelong smoker who had sued R.J. Reynolds after contracting lung cancer. Although the 2002 award was later reduced on appeal,R.J. Reynolds’ stock price tumbled 7%on the news of the jury award.
$4.9 Billion in Auto Defect Case
A Los Angeles jury awarded $4.9 billion to a family who had brought suit against General Motors after six passengers of a van were disfigured when the full tank on a 1979 Chevy Malibu exploded in a crash. The jury award was later reduced to $1.2 billion on appeal in 1999.
$2.2 Billion in Diluted Cancer Drug Case
A Kansas City jury awarded $2.2 billion to a cancer patient after Robert Courtney, a pharmacist, pled guilty to watering down chemotherapy drugs provided to the woman and 400 others in order to increase his profits.The jurors each hugged the plaintiff after awarding the verdict.
Inland Empire Personal Injury Attorneys on Your Side
Every personal injury case is different. If you or a family member has been injured due to the negligent, reckless, or intentional acts of another, then it is imperative that you work with a personal injury you can trust to recover the personal injury damages you are rightfully owed.
At McCune Wright Arevalo, our personal injury team – led by partner Cory Weck, a Marine Corps officer with over 20 years of service to his country and 15 years of experience litigating personal injury cases – has repeatedly won verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients across the Inland Empire who have been harmed because ofcar accidents,defective products,negligent property owners, and more. We know what you and your family you are going through as face the extremely daunting challenges of dealing with a spinal cord injury, and we will be at your side every step of the way on your road to recovery, doing everything we can to make sure you and your family are properly taken care of in the years to come.Contact us today to schedule a consultationwith one of our experienced personal injury attorneys.
FAQs
Biggest Personal Injury Settlements Of All Time
- $206 Billion Tobacco Industry Master Settlement Agreement. ...
- $150 Billion Burn Victim Case in Texas. ...
- $8 Billion Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc in Pennsylvania. ...
- $4.9 Billion General Motors Case. ...
- $4.69 Billion Johnson & Johnson Talc Ovarian Cancer Case in Missouri.
Here are the Largest Personal Injury Awards & Settlements in US History
- $206 Billion Dollars for The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. ...
- $150 Billion For The Family of Robert Middleton. ...
- $20 Billion for the BP Oil Spill. ...
- $4.9 Billion For The Anderson Family From General Motors.
1998 – The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement – $206 Billion. The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement was entered in November 1998 and is still the largest lawsuit settlement in history.
What is the largest jury award? ›
A Look at the Record-Breaking $150 Billion Verdict:
However, one award stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of its sheer size. The largest jury award in history is a staggering $150 billion, handed down by a Texas jury in 2011 in a civil lawsuit involving a horrific assault on a young boy.
What is the largest personal injury firm in the US? ›
As the largest personal injury law firm in America, Morgan & Morgan has recovered over $20 billion. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.
What is the largest personal lawsuit in US history? ›
The largest settlement in US history is the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement at $206 billion, making it not just the largest personal injury settlement but the largest legal settlement overall.
What is the average payout for a personal injury claim USA? ›
An average personal injury settlement amount is anywhere between $3,000 and $75,000. Be careful when using an average personal injury settlement calculator to give you an idea of what you may stand to collect. These numbers really depend on your individual case and are hard to predict without a professional.
What state has the most personal injury cases? ›
1) Florida
Florida is the state with the most personal injury claims per capita, by some distance. Per 100,000 Floridians, there were 127.41 personal injury cases in court.
Are injury settlements taxable income? ›
The IRS allows settlements won in a personal injury case to be excluded from gross income when filing taxes. This tax-free status applies to both lump sum and periodic payments.
What is the largest punitive damage award? ›
The court also observed that the $145 billion punitive damages award was a record- breaking amount that was too great to be permitted: This trial produced the largest punitive damage verdict in American legal history.
Manufacturing giant 3M has agreed to a $6 billion deal with plaintiffs counsel to settle the largest mass tort case ever, the company has announced. Under the agreement, 3M will contribute $6 billion between 2023 and 2029, which is structured to include $5 billion in cash and $1 billion in 3M common stock.
What are the largest civil rights settlements? ›
Attorney Greg Francis, a champion for the rights of Black Americans, led and won the largest civil rights settlement in the history of civil justice in the U.S., demanding justice for 33,000 Black farmers. It was a settlement of $1.25 billion dollars.
Who is more powerful judge or jury? ›
Ultimately, it's up to the judge to rule on these issues of law, and decide which evidence can be considered. Therefore, the jurors should only make their decision based on what is seen and heard in the courtroom, and nothing else. Courts have other standard rules, to make sure the entire process is fair and impartial.
What are the top five jury awards? ›
The Top 5 Largest Jury Verdicts in American History
- Johnson and Johnson and Talcum Powder. $4.69 Billion. The case of Ingham v. ...
- Monsanto and Roundup. $4.14 Billion. In 2018, in Pilliod v. ...
- Phillip Morris and Tobacco. $3 Billion. ...
- Georgia Hayes v. Robert Courtney. ...
- Ford Motor Co. Defective Design Lawsuit.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the longest jury deliberation ever is four and a half months.
What is the largest slip and fall settlement? ›
The largest settlement ever awarded in a slip and fall lawsuit was over 20 million dollars. This amount was awarded to the plaintiff, an elderly woman who suffered severe injuries after slipping on a wet tile floor in a hotel lobby.
What is the highest wrongful death settlement? ›
The highest wrongful death settlement was $160 million.
How much money did Robbie Middleton's family get? ›
Collins did not appear at the trial. After hearing the testimony, which consisted of videotaped depositions, the jury awarded the Middleton family over $150 billion in damages. This remains the largest civil verdict ever awarded in United States history.
