Each year, car accidents cause more than 38,000 deaths in the US. And 4.4 million people develop debilitating injuries requiring a trip to the hospital. Are you among these Americans?
- 1. A $42 Million Settlement Instead of Manslaughter
- 2. The $10 Million Settlement Involving Tracy Morgan
- 3. An $80 Million Truck Accident
- 4. Gloria Estefan’s $8.5 Million Tour Bus Wreck
- 5. The Settlement That Was Almost $281 Million
- 6. A $21 Million Payout for Traumatic Brain Injury
- 7. When Lacking Insurance Costs $4.1 Million
- 8. The City That Refused to Pay $6 Million for Wrongful Death
- 9. David Crosby’s $3 Million Mistake
- 10. The Confidential $34 Million Settlement
- Set Your Expectations With These Car Accident Settlement Examples
If so, you may be wondering how much you can win from car wreck settlement checks. Today, we’re answering that question and more with these famous car accident settlement examples.
From Walmart to a Detroit suburb’s city insurance company, car accident defendants range the gamut. And you may be surprised to see some famous names among the car crash victims on this list.
Regardless of who hit who, there’s a lot to learn about what you can get in a car wreck settlement. Keep reading for everything you need to know.
1. A $42 Million Settlement Instead of Manslaughter
In 2007, a truck driver barreled through a stop sign. The driver t-boned another vehicle, ultimately causing the death of the man driving the car. He left behind his wife, who filed suit with an accident attorney.
Car accidents caused by negligence (e.g., running a stop sign) can result in manslaughter. So, the truck driver was lucky that the case settled for $42 million in 2014.
2. The $10 Million Settlement Involving Tracy Morgan
Actor and comedian Tracy Morgan isn’t just a lead in the TV show 30 Rock. He was also the star in a wrongful death settlement against Walmart in 2014. A Walmart truck crashed into his limo, injuring Morgan and killing fellow passenger and comedian Jimmy Mack.
The Tracy Morgan settlement left her behind his two children, both in their early 20s at the time. The two kids brought a case against Walmart and ultimately won $10 million. It’s also rumored that Morgan received a whopping $90 million from Walmart for his own pain and suffering.
3. An $80 Million Truck Accident
One of the largest car accident settlement examples in history happened only a few years ago in 2016. A Savannah, Georgia truck driver failed to brake, smashing into a line of cars.
The accident settled for a whopping $80 million. Five people died in the crash, and seven received severe injuries. But the court never determined what, exactly, caused the truck driver’s failure to brake.
4. Gloria Estefan’s $8.5 Million Tour Bus Wreck
Another famous personal injury case involving a car wreck occurred in 1990. The Cuban-American singer Gloria Estefan’s tour bus was hit by a large truck. Estefan, her husband, their young son, and two crew members were injured.
Estefan suffered from a broken back, forcing her to spend a year off the road in recovery. Along with her family and the injured tour bus crew members, Estefan was able to win $8.5 million off of the defendants.
5. The Settlement That Was Almost $281 Million
In 2013, an 18 wheeler was involved in an accident in Texas. The 18 wheeler’s drive shaft somehow came undone, shattering through the windshield of a nearby driver. The driver died from his injuries.
A court determined that the trucking company had failed to properly maintain the 18 wheeler in question. The court initially ordered the company to pay $281 million to the victim’s family before sending the case to settle. How much the case actually settled for is still a mystery.
6. A $21 Million Payout for Traumatic Brain Injury
When a large truck’s brakes failed one day, it rear-ended a woman’s car. Paramedics rushed the woman to the hospital. But, sadly, doctors quickly discovered bleeding in her brain.
This car accident victim ended up with a medical bill that cost thousands and a permanent handicap that took her away from her career. The victim’s lawyer won her $21 million for pain and suffering.
7. When Lacking Insurance Costs $4.1 Million
Bet you never thought being uninsured could cost you millions. But that’s exactly what happened to the New York City delivery driver when he got into a wreck without car insurance and paralyzed the person in his passenger seat.
The delivery driver was a contract worker for the New York Times. So, it was the multi-million dollar company that had to pay out the $4 million settlement, making the uninsured driver one of the luckiest contractors in the world.
8. The City That Refused to Pay $6 Million for Wrongful Death
It was the year 2006 in Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit, Michigan. Dearborn ordinance officers were knee-deep in a high-speed car chase. That was when one of the city drivers hit an innocent bystander, killing him instantly.
A court settled the case for a reasonable $6 million. Yet, Dearborn’s insurers refused to pay out for years until the court forced them to pay out the victim’s family. How’s that for civic justice?
9. David Crosby’s $3 Million Mistake
Bob Dylan’s pal and fellow singer David Crosby was the defendant in a car accident case in 2015. The 52-year-old crashed his Tesla into a jogger and his son. Paramedics airlifted the victim to a local hospital for broken ribs.
To cover the jogger’s medical bills, Crosby paid out a settlement of $2.95 million. The singer paid an additional $50,000 to the jogger’s son who was with his father before the accident.
10. The Confidential $34 Million Settlement
Another mysterious settlement occurred in 2014. Like the $281 million payout that almost was, this case also involved a trucker.
All we know about this highly confidential case is that the wreck occurred in Ohio and settled for a hefty $34 million.
Set Your Expectations With These Car Accident Settlement Examples
Wrongful death after a car accident could win you $80 million or more in court. But as you can see from these car accident settlement examples, you must hire an attorney to win your case.
A broadside collision occurs when one car hits the rear of another vehicle at a very high rate of speed, usually at high speed. While any automobile accident on the street can cause serious bodily injury, broadside collisions are especially serious. The victims of these collisions are not always young kids who were crossing the street, but older adults and even the elderly are occasionally struck down in such dangerous situations.
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