Washington Personal Injury Verdicts and Settlements

Below are Washington settlement amounts and jury payouts for personal injury claims.

Washington Personal Injury Verdicts and Settlements

• 2022, Washington: $1,850,000 Verdict. A pedestrian was struck at an intersection. She suffered a concussion, cerebral contusions, a right arm degloving injury, skin lacerations and tears, a right leg fracture, and a lacerated liver. The woman sustained post-traumatic stress disorder. She alleged that the at-fault driver’s negligence caused her injuries. The King County jury awarded $1,850,000.
• 2022, Washington: $441,090 Verdict. A 45-year-old cyclist was struck. He suffered a SLAP tear, a concussion, and an ankle injury. He underwent multiple surgeries. The man alleged negligence against the at-fault driver. He claimed she failed to yield to a pedestrian and maintain an appropriate lookout. The jury awarded $441,090.
• 2022, Washington: $97,772 Verdict. A 30-something cyclist was struck at an intersection. She suffered facial fractures, facial numbness, jaw pain, spinal sprains and strains, muscle spasms, and right hip, left ankle, and wrist sprains. The woman also sustained facial deformities, muscle spasms, limited mobility, and radiculopathy. She alleged negligence against the at-fault driver. The woman claimed he failed to watch the road. Following arbitration, she received $97,772.
• 2022, Washington: $350,000 Verdict. A 48-year-old woman was involved in two collisions. The first was a head-on collision in a parking lot. The woman injured her neck, back, and knee. She also sustained a traumatic brain injury. The second collision was a rear-ender on the highway. The woman suffered the aggravation of her sustained injuries from the first collision. She alleged negligence against the two at-fault drivers. The woman claimed they failed to maintain an appropriate lookout. A King County jury awarded $350,000.
• 2021, Washington: $361,125 Verdict. A man was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer. He sustained cervical and lumbar injuries. The man alleged negligence against the truck driver. He claimed he failed to slow down, control his vehicle, and maintain an appropriate lookout. The jury awarded $361,125.
• 2021, Washington: $6,044,287 Verdict. A baby boy experienced breathing difficulties at birth. He underwent intubation. The boy suffered multiple airway injuries, including a vocal cord tear. He underwent a tracheotomy. The boy was hospitalized for 21 months. He experienced emotional and cognitive delays. The boy’s parents alleged negligence against the hospital. They claimed its staff failed to properly intubate him and receive their informed consent. The jury awarded $6,044,287.
• 2021, Washington: $168,000 Verdict. A 33-year-old man was T-boned in a chain-reaction collision. He suffered a concussion, cervical bulges and protrusions, a right elbow contusion, and sprains and strains to his right ankle, right shoulder, left hip, and lower back. The man alleged negligence against the at-fault driver. He claimed she failed to safely operate her vehicle and yield the right-of-way. The man received $168,000.
• 2021, Washington: $93,794 Verdict. A 58-year-old woman was T-boned. She fractured her right hand. She also sustained soft-tissue spinal injuries. The woman’s injuries did not require surgery. She alleged negligence against the at-fault driver. The woman claimed he failed to safely turn left and yield the right-of-way. A jury awarded her $93,794.
• 2020, Washington: $2,500,000 Settlement. A 68-year-old woman underwent a spinal revision. Following the procedure, the woman experienced severe blood loss. She underwent intubation. The woman suffered an epidural hematoma in her spine. She developed cord compression. The woman sustained permanent neurological impairments. She also developed bilateral leg sensation loss, neurogenic bladder, and bowel. The woman now uses a motorized wheelchair. She alleged negligence against the hospital. Her Washington personal injury lawyer claimed its staff failed to timely address the hematoma and poorly communicated amongst themselves. This case settled for $2,500,000.
• 2020, Washington: $8,250,000 Settlement. A 28-year-old woman underwent a C-section. She lost over three liters of blood. The woman underwent a large transfusion. She received a Bakari balloon that dislodged. The hospital staff replaced it. The woman underwent an emergency hysterectomy. During the procedure, the woman suffered cardiac arrest. She died hours later. The woman’s family alleged negligence against the hospital. Her attorney filed a malpractice lawsuit claiming the hospital staff provided substandard care and failure to provide timely treatment. This case settled for $8,250,000.
• 2019, Washington: $67,000 Verdict. A woman was involved in three separate collisions. She was T-boned in the first and rear-ended in the second and third collisions. The woman sustained a traumatic brain injury, a trapezius strain, a separated right acromioclavicular joint, spinal strains, a strained right shoulder, a strained left hip, and a strained left hand. She alleged negligence against the at-fault drivers. The woman claimed the at-fault driver in the first collision neglected to yield the right-of-way, while the at-fault drivers in the second and third collisions tailgated her. A jury awarded $67,000.
• 2019, Washington: $23,900,000 Verdict. A newborn girl experienced a nuchal cord. She was also unresponsive. The girl was resuscitated thirty minutes later. She suffered hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The girl sustained permanent brain damage. She was left with motor function and cognitive impairments. The now four-year-old girl was non-verbal, not potty trained, and frequently stumbled and fell. Her parents alleged negligence against the hospital. They claimed its staff failed to properly track their daughter’s heart rate, timely address fetal distress, and perform an emergency C-section. The jury awarded $23,900,000.

Washington Medical Malpractice Statistics (2022 Update)

In October 2021, Washington State’s Insurance Commissioner’s Office released their 2021 Medical Malpractice Annual Report. It reported the following:

• Attorneys reported that plaintiffs received $151 million in total compensation for 120 claims. The average compensation per settlement was around $1.3 million. Attorney fees totaled $56 million. The average attorney fee amount was $467,352 per settlement. Attorney fees accounted for 37.1 percent of the total plaintiff compensation.
• Lawsuits that settled had the highest average payout at $1.4 million. The average jury verdict payout was lower at $730,000.
• Male plaintiff settlements were much higher than female plaintiffs. The average indemnity payments for male plaintiffs were 2.4 times higher, while the average legal expenses were 2.7 times higher.
• Plaintiffs between 41 and 50 years old had the highest settlements at $1.7 million.
• Between 2016 and 2020, insurers and self-insurers paid $754 million on over 1,700 claims. They paid an average of $437,040 per claim.
• Medical malpractice cases primarily involved minor and temporary injuries. However, they only comprised 3.5 percent of total paid indemnity and 9.1 percent of total defense costs. Grave permanent injuries had the highest average paid indemnity and defense costs at $2.4 million and $176,135, respectively. Major permanent injuries had the second-highest at $1.2 million and $143,068.