Largest Personal Injury Settlement in Texas
The largest personal injury settlement in Texas involves a Missouri girl who suffered life-altering injuries in a head-on collision. The case was filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act. The accident occurred when a census worker crossed the center line. A Fort Worth attorney successfully argued that the truck driver was negligent because he worked more hours than he was allowed by law. The case was settled for $24 million.
In the same year, the MacLean Law Firm won a $1.8 million settlement for an oil field worker who suffered orthopedic injuries to his forearm and dominant hand as a result of an on-the-job accident. Another $1.4 million settlement was negotiated by the Chuck Sanders Law Firm for a man who suffered serious injuries to his neck and shoulder while working in an oil field. While the MacLean Law Firm has had a number of large-scale personal injury cases, its recent success has resulted in the highest personal injury settlement in Texas.
A personal injury lawsuit is typically filed to recover economic and noneconomic damages. However, Texas laws have caps on the amount of money a plaintiff can receive in personal injury lawsuits. These caps are based on what damages are being sought and who caused the injury. A car accident victim's medical bills will undoubtedly exceed $500,000. Their losses in income may also total over $1 million. But the compensation may only be a fraction of the cost.
Regardless of whether you're a plaintiff or a defendant, the largest personal injury settlement in Texas will depend on the facts of your case. If the accident was your fault, Texas's comparative negligence laws will prevent you from receiving any compensation. The amount you receive will be reduced by the percentage of fault you're responsible for. If you're 30% at fault, you'll have to settle for the insurance company's offer of $250,000 or less. In addition, the law firm will have to pay any outstanding medical bills and subrogation claims. It will also need to deduct attorneys' fees and costs for the case.
Luckily, Texas' medical malpractice laws have caps that limit the amount of non-economic damages you can get. These caps are set by the Medical Malpractice and Tort Reform Act, commonly referred to as House Bill 4. This law limits the total amount of non-economic damages to $250,000 per individual plaintiff and $500,000 per incident. It is important to note that Texas has a cap on non-economic damages because it is intended to prevent frivolous lawsuits.
The average personal injury settlement in Tennessee is $655,685. In the state of Kentucky, the highest award in a case of this type was $1,700,000.