Personal injury cases occur when a plaintiff (the injured person) sues a company for by chance or intentionally causing harm to his or her mental or physical health. Typically, plaintiffs hire a lawyer to defend their rights and negotiate settlements.
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Responsible parties will ultimately have to pay plaintiffs thousands and thousands of dollars or more, as ordered by the jury. However, the exact amounts will depend on the severity of the damage, the evidence presented and the statute of limitations.
In 2022, revenue generated by the legal industry from personal injury cases reached $59.90 billion. Moreover, in 2023, this sector also grew by 2.2%. All of this proves that non-public injury cases are quite common in America.
In this text, we are going to discuss three personal injury lawsuits that resulted in the largest settlements.
#1. Tobacco case
Settlement amount: $206 billion
Just a few many years ago, people had no concept that tobacco was harmful to health. Unfortunately, this was not standard knowledge because tobacco corporations were good at hiding unwanted effects.
Therefore, Americans lived with the health effects of smoking without knowing their source. For example, individuals who smoked tobacco often suffered from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, tuberculosis, etc. Fortunately, quite a few studies and reports have shown that smokers have an increased risk of developing health problems.
Eventually, those affected became furious with the tobacco corporations when they learned about the unwanted effects of smoking. They desired to recuperate medical expenses related to the care of their health problems. That is why the Framework Agreement on Tobacco Products was concluded has been signed by 56 states in 1998 on behalf of each victim.
Many tobacco corporations have needed to settle disputes, paying billions of dollars in health care costs. This money, for example, helped hospitals care for sick smokers and enabled the development of anti-smoking organizations.
They also needed to pay damages for their unethical practices and misleading promoting. As a results of this lawsuit, tobacco product prices increased, promotions were restricted, and corporations were forced to put warning labels on their products.
#2. Instant pot lawsuit
Estimated settlement: $25,000 to $2,000,000
The value of the pressure cooker market is expected to succeed in USD 8 billion by the end of 2030. People use this kitchen gadget because it is convenient, means that you can cook faster and saves a lot of energy. Moreover, meat, goulash, sauces and legumes prepared in a pressure cooker will likely be healthier and tastier.
One pressure cooker brand that took American households by storm was Instant Pot. This electric stove has been a blessing to many people across the country. This was because it was a multi-functional tool that allowed you to boil, steam, reheat and fry without any hassle.
However, there have been quite a few reports of the Instant Pot exploding. These showed that some units had failed and ejected hot fluid from the unit. It also had defects in manufacturing quality, which led to improper sealing and leakage.
As a result, people suffered burns, electric shock, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), etc. They needed to spend a lot of cash on treatment resembling hospitalization, skin grafts, physiotherapy, etc. Therefore, the affected people were furious and filed complaints. some Instant Pot Burning Lawsuit recovery of costs related to the damage.
They also desired to hold manufacturers accountable for failing to warn them about the device’s defects. Under TorHoerman’s Law, victims hired lawyers to assemble evidence, assess damages, calculate compensation owed, and negotiate on their behalf.
#3. Tylenol Lawsuit
Estimated payouts: $50,000 to $1,000,000
Tylenol is an over-the-counter drug popular as a pain reliever and antipyretic. The 500 mg of acetaminophen present in this medicine increases the body’s tolerance to pain and lowers fever by eliminating heat. Therefore, various pregnant women took this medicine when they felt sick.
However, the use of Tylenol in the uterus has been associated with developmental disorders. These children were more more likely to develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This happens because the elements contained in acetaminophen disrupt the intestinal microflora of the fetus of a pregnant woman. As a result, the fetus’s immune system is compromised and the child develops neurodevelopmental problems.
Many families soon filed lawsuits against manufacturers and distributors because they didn’t warn them of the potential unwanted effects. Companies involved in the Tylenol autism lawsuit include Target Corp., Rite Aid Corp., Safeway Inc. etc. In this ongoing lawsuit, plaintiffs can seek reimbursement for medical expenses, ongoing treatment, pain, suffering and everlasting disability.
In summary, settlement amounts resulting from a personal injury lawsuit will depend on a number of aspects. For example, using a product that causes cancer in humans will result in higher compensation than for curable physical injuries. However, you need to file your case on time.
Things like Instant Pot, Tobacco Master, and Tylenol are great examples. All this proves that justice will be served if the right path is followed.