In the span of history, there have been some pretty staggering personal injury settlements. From high-profile lawsuits to out-of-court settlements, these cases have made headlines and changed the lives of the people involved as the plaintiffs fought tooth and nail for what they believed was rightfully theirs.
If you’re curious about personal injury law because you’ve been injured or you just want to know more about some of the largest payouts in history, read on. Here’s a quick look at the four biggest personal injury settlements ever.
1. $4.9 billion: Anderson Family v. General Motors
In 1993, a drunk driver hit a family of six. The impact caused the family’s Chevy Malibu to catch fire and explode, burning its occupants critically, including four children. The family sued General Motors, who was responsible for the design of their car. The family claimed that General Motors knew about the faulty fuel tank but ignored it and failed to fix this dangerous defect in its vehicle’s design. After a decade and a half of legal battles, the family ended up receiving a personal injury settlement amounting to $1.2 billion for its ordeal.
2. $60 million: Donald French v. Norfolk Southern
Donald French, a gas station manager, was at his office when a wayward train crashed through the front of the station. French survived, but he walked away with a traumatic brain injury. He sued the train company and was awarded $60 million in damages and interest.
3. $150 million: Middleton v. Collins
When eight-year-old Robert Middleton got in the way of a neighbor boy’s arson, he suffered burns that covered more than 90 percent of his body. Middleton spent months in intensive care, undergoing skin grafts and other painful treatments to save his life, but he was left with permanent disabilities and disfigurement. In 2010, he died from skin cancer. Middleton’s family blamed the neighbor for the death; it sued and was awarded a staggering $150 million in damages.
4. $32.5 million: Mark Force v. Ford Motors
Mark Force sued Ford Motors after getting involved in a vehicular accident. Despite wearing his seatbelt, Force was thrown out of the front window because the seatbelt failed to lock. As a result, he suffered from a traumatic brain injury and multiple fractures.
Personal injuries can be devastating, both physically and emotionally. If you’ve been injured in any way or know someone who has been, learn from these four biggest personal injury settlements ever. Talk to a personal injury lawyer and examine your case together to seek the compensation you deserve.
