Lawsuits differ in the amount that is awarded to the plaintiff or injured party. This is largely dependent on the nature of the accident and the type and intensity of the injuries. Since no two cases are alike, it can be difficult to choose the highest settlement without factoring in the differences.
A personal injury case can differ according to the following:
- The Extent of a Person’s Injuries: Some accidents cause mild injuries and others result in life-threatening trauma that can alter a person’s life completely. For instance, traumatic brain injuries can cause the injured party to live a much different life if they survive. Both the victim and their family suffer the effects of a TBI. Some traumatic brain injuries such as a mild concussion will usually heal with analgesics and pain meds in a month or two. Other concussions can be more serious, and effects can linger for one year or more. Serious TBIs such as a subdural hematoma or one that causes the nerve cells in the brain to no longer communicate with one another require more intense therapy and surgery to repair. Additionally, other injuries such as limb amputation, serious burns and falling from a height also occur.
- Recovery and Rehabilitation Extent: Some injuries take longer to heal, and more intense treatment, as well as extended rehab therapy, are needed. An example of this would be an amputated limb where the injured party needs to not only adapt to the loss but to train to resume life activities without it. Emotionally and physically, this is a difficult road.
- The Cost of Damages Differs from one Type of Accident to Another: This is a major difference between personal injury cases. A simple rear-end collision at a low speed may cause mild injuries and with medical care and time will usually heal. However, a construction site accident that causes significant injury may not only take longer to treat but the cost of in-patient and aftercare might be astronomical. Add rehabilitation to the damages and you will see how an injury can cause physical, mental, emotional and financial trauma that can ravage a family’s resources and leave them in a bad situation.
Examples of Large Settlements in the Recent Past
Here are some of the most costly settlements:
- Bus Accident with Amputation: $27,500,000 was awarded to a pedestrian struck by a bus who suffered the loss of a leg. This is one of the largest awards for this type of accident in New York.
- Wrongful Death: $26,000,000 was awarded to the family of a pedestrian struck by a truck in NYC and killed, representing one of the largest settlements.
- Medical Malpractice: In 2020, one malpractice case ended in an award of $15,000,000. The lawsuit noted failure to diagnose, treatment delays and medical malpractice in treating someone with brain injury, paralysis and paraplegia due to spinal cord injury.
- Bus Accident with Degloving Injury: This accident involved the loss of the skin and underlying tissues to a pedestrian’s leg and buttocks, exposing the underlying muscle. The woman was awarded $12,500,000.
- Drunk Driver: A woman was given $10,000,000 for being blinded in an accident with a drunk driver.
- Assault: This injured person was awarded $10,000,000 in damages. The case against a foster care agency revolved around assault that caused brain injury and failure to supervise.
- Construction Accident: A construction worker was awarded $4,495,000 for injuries in a demolition accident.
- Truck Accident: $3,200,000 was awarded to a person involved in a workplace truck accident. Contractor negligence was part of the case.
- Construction Accident: $3,175,000 was awarded in a construction accident involving a fallen ladder and a workplace injury.
The Platta Law Firm
The Platta Law Firm has been privileged to help accident victims and injured workers win more than $100,000,000 over the years. If you have been injured, give us a call at (212) 514-5400, or contact us online to schedule a free case review. We have helped many New Yorkers and will work hard to do the same for you.
