According to Jury Verdict Research®’s 2006 California Verdict Survey the median compensatory award for personal injury trials in California is $102,000 and plaintiffs receive damages in 41 percent of cases that go to trial. In comparison, the nationwide median is $40,000 and the nationwide plaintiff recovery probability is 55 percent.
The statistics are based on verdicts rendered in California from 1999 through 2005. The study also includes a breakdown of specific injury and liability categories in the state of California.
The following table outlines the most frequently reported liabilities in California and the percentage of the total number of plaintiff and defense verdicts in each category.
The following table outlines the overall award standings in California as compared with the yearly award medians for the nation.
The median is the middle value among awards listed in ascending order. This value provides the most accurate gauge of the norm for a specific sampling of jury award data
Jury Verdict Research® maintains the only nationwide database of more than 250,000 plaintiff and defense verdicts and settlements, resulting from personal injury claims. The data are reported, tabulated and analyzed to determine values, trends and deviations for 400 injuries and 300 liabilities. Jury Verdict Research® is a division of LRP Publications, Inc.
