The average jury award in Arizona personal injury cases is $820,486. The median compensatory award for personal injury trials in Arizona is $30,000. Plaintiffs struggle on liability in Arizona: plaintiffs received damages in 40 percent of personal injury cases that go to trial. The national average is around 53%. Not surprisingly, the most common type of car accident lawsuits in Arizona are rear end collusion claims, which make up 27% of the motor vehicle lawsuits filed. Intersection collisions and turning collusions were also prominent at 13% and 12%, respectively. Truck accidents lawsuits were 11% of the overall total of accident lawsuits filed.
Arizona Personal Injury Verdicts and Settlements
YEAR/STATE
FACTS / INJURY SUMMARY
RESULT
2020 – Arizona
A man was T-boned by a pickup truck. He suffered severe injuries. The man alleged that the at-fault driver’s failure to yield the right-of-way caused them. He also made a vicarious liability claim against the at-fault driver’s employer. The defense disputed liability, arguing comparative negligence. A Yuma County jury ruled in the man’s favor. They awarded him $1,250,000.
$1,250,000 – Verdict
2020 – Arizona
A man was struck in a hotel parking lot. He suffered a torn left rotator cuff. He alleged that the at-fault driver’s inattentiveness caused this injury. The defense admitted partial responsibility but argued that the man could have prevented the collision by looking forward instead of left. A Maricopa County jury found the at-fault driver 90 percent liable and the man 10 percent liable. They awarded $220,000.
$220,000 – Verdict
2019 – Arizona
$250,000 – Verdict
2019 – Arizona
$5,000,000 – Verdict
2018 – Arizona
A 57-year-old man was operating a helicopter. He attempted to land after the caution indicator light turned on. Before he could, the transmission seized up. As a result, the helicopter crashed. The man suffered a spinal fracture, head lacerations, and right leg lacerations. He was rendered a paraplegic. The man and his wife alleged negligence and failure to inspect against the company that overhauled the helicopter 13 years prior. The man claimed it failed to service the helicopter and used the wrong hardware to reinstall component parts. The company denied liability, arguing that the man failed to timely land. A Maricopa County jury awarded $24,100,000.
$24,100,000 – Verdict
2017 – Arizona
A 40-year-old woman was admitted to a VA hospital with flu-like symptoms and shortness of breath. She underwent respiratory therapy, nebulizer treatments, and mask ventilation. The woman suffered a bronchospasm after the VA staff switched her to a nasal cannula. The staff then intubated her 44 minutes later. However, she had already suffered hypoxia. As a result, the woman developed permanent brain damage, blindness, and quadriparesis. She alleged that the VA staff’s negligence caused these permanent injuries. The woman claimed they failed to properly treat respiratory distress and timely restore ventilation. The federal government disputed her claims. It argued that the woman only experienced a panic attack and that posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome caused her permanent injuries. This case settled for $7,000,000.
$7,000,000 – Settlement
2014 – Arizona
A dental office manager accused her boss of sexual harassment and wrongful termination. She claimed he made lewd remarks and slapped her buttocks. The woman also claimed her termination was unlawful and breached their agreement. The dentist denied liability, arguing that his conduct did not constitute sexual harassment. A Maricopa County jury awarded $500,000.
$500,000 – Verdict
Arizona Employment-related Verdicts and Settlements
YEAR / STATE
CASE / INJURY SUMMARY
RESULT
2019 – Arizona
A woman worked as an Arizona Senate staffer. Her annual salary was $60,000. The woman, who was black, discovered that she made less than her predominately white male colleagues. She complained and asked for a raise. The woman was terminated several days later. The Arizona Senate claimed they fired her because of confidence issues. The woman thought this explanation was untrue. She alleged that the Arizona Senate underpaid her because of her race and gender. The woman also claimed they fired her in retaliation for her complaints. A Maricopa County jury ruled in her favor. They awarded $1,000,000. The woman was also reinstated as a staffer.
$1,000,000 – Verdict
2019 – Arizona
A woman, who was black, was a superintendent of a majority-Latino school district. The school board became majority-Latino after a recent election. Its members fired the woman and replaced her with a Latino superintendent. The woman alleged that they fired her because she was black. She claimed the board members openly admitted to wanting a superintendent who looked like the students. The school district denied discriminating against the woman. It argued that the district’s poor performance motivated the termination. A Maricopa County jury ruled in the woman’s favor. They awarded her $203,763.
$203,763 – Verdict
2018 – Arizona
A 64-year-old man worked as a mechanic at a body shop. His boss repeatedly made ageist remarks against him. They included retirement inquiries and comments about how old he was. The man was eventually terminated and replaced by someone in their 20s. He alleged that age discrimination motivated the termination. The body shop denied this. It argued that the man lacked the high-tech skills needed to repair newer cars. The Maricopa County jury found that age discrimination motivated the termination. They awarded $44,109.
$44,109 – Verdict
2018 – Arizona
A man, who was black, worked as a UPS driver. He made internal and EEOC complaints, alleging racial discrimination against UPS. Following the complaint, the man’s boss rode with him for three days. He complained he was making few stops. UPS continued to scrutinize the man’s performance. It eventually fired him. The man grieved the firing. He was reinstated. The man then filed suit against UPS. He alleged that the company fired him as retaliation for his race discrimination complaints. UPS denied his allegations. A Maricopa County jury ruled in the man’s favor. They awarded him $10,000.
$10,000 – Verdict
2015 – Arizona
A behavior health counselor worked at an alcohol treatment center. He made an internal complaint, alleging that his employer did not pay all his wages, which included overtime. The man was subsequently fired. He alleged that his employer’s actions violated state and federal labor laws. The man also claimed emotional distress from wrongful termination. The alcohol treatment center denied his allegations, arguing that he was paid all his wages and was exempted from overtime. A federal jury awarded the man $345,562.
$345,562 – Verdict
2014 – Arizona
A dental office manager accused her boss of sexual harassment and wrongful termination. She claimed he made lewd remarks and slapped her buttocks. The woman also claimed her termination was unlawful and breached their agreement. The dentist denied liability, arguing that his conduct did not constitute sexual harassment. A Maricopa County jury awarded $500,000.
$500,000 – Verdict