Thousands of personal injury cases are filed annually in the U.S.; however, only 4-5% of these cases ever go to trial. Victims of severe accidents are awarded compensation that can easily exceed seven figures through a court verdict. If you are interested in getting an estimate for your case, you need to get in touch with an attorney. A personal injury attorney at Nuñez Law, P.L., can guide you on what personal injury compensation to expect based on your case. Continue reading to learn about the top personal injury case verdicts of 2022.
Scott v. Dyno Nobel Inc.
A personal injury lawsuit was filed against Dyno Nobel Inc. by Teddy and Melaine Scott. After six years of legal proceedings, the plaintiffs finally earned $47 million in compensation through the jury verdict.
The case was based on the damages Teddy Scott sustained in 2015 while working as an electrical foreman with his crew next door to the Dyno Nobel manufacturing plant. When the Dyno Nobel workers started their shift, a malfunction released poisonous NOx. Scott inhaled the poisonous gas while evacuating his crew from the adjacent area.
Due to the poisonous fumes, Scott suffered severe health complications, impacting his physical and emotional well-being. He suffered severe neurological and pulmonary damage that resulted in episodes of losing consciousness and choking for the rest of his life.
The Dyno Nobel company was liable for violating its own policy and being negligent in informing the people working in the surrounding areas of the harmful gas the manufacturing plant emitted due to the malfunction.
Hill v. Ford Motors Company
In 2022, the jury awarded the Hill Family $1.7 billion in punitive damages and $24 million in compensatory damages following the deaths of Voncile and Melvin Hill in 2014 due to Ford’s defective vehicle design.
The 2002 Ford Super Duty F-250 Crew Cab pickup truck owned by the deceased couple had a tire that separated and rolled over the vehicle, crushing its roof. The family claimed that the incident occurred due to the weak roof design by the manufacturers, which is why Ford Motors Company was held liable for 70 percent of the damages. Although Ford argued that the same roof design had offered maximum protection in most rollover cases, in the 2018 mistrial, the court imposed sanctions against the auto manufacturer.
The tire that separated from the vehicle was installed by Pep Boys and manufactured by Cooper Tires, who were the original defendants of the case but were not present at the trial. Still, the jury held these two companies 30 percent liable for the accident.
Thapa v. St. Cloud
Another significant personal injury verdict in 2022 involved 17-year-old student Anuj Thapa who was injured at St. Cloud University while playing indoor soccer. Due to the injury, he was taken to St. Cloud Hospital for surgery.
Although complications such as a burning sensation, numbness, and extreme leg pain persisted post-surgery, Thapa was discharged the next day. However, since the pain had become unbearable six days following the surgery, he returned to the hospital. He was diagnosed with a medical condition known as acute compartment syndrome.
After that, Thapa reportedly received a dozen surgeries on his leg but could not recover. The multiple surgeries left his leg permanently damaged. The federal jury awarded him $111 million in compensation for his personal injury.