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Average Knee Injury Compensation Payout

Our lawyers handle knee injury accident lawsuits in Maryland. This page is about how to project settlement amounts and jury payouts in knee injury lawsuits in Maryland and around the country.

Knee injuries make up probably 10% of our law firm’s car accident caseload. This is consistent with studies that show how often knee injuries occur in car accidents.

What is the settlement value of a knee injury case? Below we discuss the average and median settlement amounts of these knee injury claims. We also list more statistics, relevant medical literature, and the importance of expert testimony.

Our lawyers have successfully handled scores of severe knee injury cases, including a $5.2 million verdict in a knee injury case. We fight for our clients. Call (800) 553-8082 or get a free online consultation. If you need a lawyer in another state outside of Maryland, we can help you find the best lawyer for you.

Secondly, half of the cases in the study were car accident lawsuits and the other half were all other lawsuits. In Maryland, by contrast, around 75% of knee injury cases are from car accidents. We have fewer premises liability cases due to our contributory negligence law.

JVR does not provide the average accident knee injury verdict in motor vehicle collision cases. However, the median is probably more illustrative. The median knee injury verdict in a car accident case is $94,406. Interestingly, the middle 50%—the 25th to the 75th percentile—ranges from $26,255-$216,726. That is an extensive range, and the bottom quartile likely consists of minor injury cases.

Motorcycle and Pedestrian Settlement Compensation Is Higher

Motorcycle accidents and pedestrian crashes often involve the most serious knee injuries. But it is amazing how many motorcycle accident lawsuits involve contested liability. For whatever reason, juries don’t like motorcyclists. This is unfair, but good counsel can overcome the challenge.

Remember that worker’s compensation cases have an entirely different, lower output formula to calculate the value of knee injuries on the job.

The average compensation payout for rear-end collisions is lower because the mechanism is less severe in these car accidents. Many knee injury claims from rear-end accidents are based on preexisting injuries. Our lawyers have found that preexisting injuries are the most challenging cases to bring and generally have lower settlement amounts.

Additionally, there are few serious “knee injuries only” injuries in rear-end car accidents. If you hurt your knee badly in a rear-end accident, chances are you have additional injuries that are also serious.

Does Good Expert Testimony Help Settlement Amounts in Knee Injury Lawsuits?

Good expert testimony can significantly impact the settlement amount in knee injury lawsuits. A strong supportive expert who articulately advocates for the patient (while not overtly advocating for the patient at trial can double or triple a knee injury verdict.

In knee injury cases, expert testimony can be used to establish the nature and extent of the injury, such as the type of knee injury, the extent of the damage to the knee, and the degree of impairment caused by the injury. It can also be used to establish the cause of the injury, such as the defendant’s actions that led to the injury.

Good expert testimony can also help establish the injury’s future impact on the plaintiff’s life. For example, if the injury is expected to cause ongoing pain and disability or if it will prevent the plaintiff from pursuing certain activities or occupations, expert testimony can help to establish these factors and provide evidence of the damages suffered by the plaintiff.

Generally, the stronger the expert testimony in a knee injury lawsuit, the greater the likelihood that the settlement amount will be higher. Conversely, it can be disastrous if you have an expert whose heart is not in it. This is true even before the trial. Some expert reports our lawyers read… you can just see their heart is not in it. And that is not a formula for success.

These improvements have consequences in the legal sphere. A medical expert’s explanation of the function of the knee joint and the effect the injury will have on the patient is a critical component in how much a jury will award if the case goes to trial.

The expert—an unbiased treating doctor, in a perfect world—needs to take the jury through the x-rays, CAT scans, MRI studies, and the arthroscopic examination of the surfaces of the involved bones.

This is significantly easier in knee fracture or dislocation cases. Instead, many serious knee injuries are soft tissue injuries involving one or more of the non-bone structures of the knee. In car and truck accidents, these injuries often occur when the thigh or shin bone trauma is accompanied by an opposite force directed against the foot. The result is torque is violently transmitted to the knee.

You need a qualified expert to explain why a soft tissue knee injury can be severe — a heart attack is also a soft tissue injury — and how it is an injury that can haunt a patient for the rest of their lives.

The expert must articulate all the long-term effects. The defense expert will have some song and dance about how degenerative changes like arthritis would have occurred even without the crash because of the normal aging process. Our experts need to confront these defenses head-on before they gain currency with the jury. In most cases, science, and medical records are on our side.

Knee Injury Verdicts and Settlements

  • 2023, Florida: $669,582 Verdict. The plaintiff was shopping at the defendant’s mall and while exiting the mall to her vehicle in the parking lot she tripped and she tripped and fell over a sloping curb that was improperly marked and protruded into the sidewalk entry on both sides. Plaintiff suffered a significant injury to her right knee as a result of the fall.
  • 2022, Georgia: $6.4 Million Verdict. This is a motorcycle-bus crash case where the plaintiff tore virtually every ligament in one of his knees. He incurred nearly $400,000 in medical bills. The jury awarded all those medical bills plus an additional $6 million.
  • 2022, Pennsylvania: $19,500 Verdict. A houseguest walked down the porch steps. Her shoe’s heel became caught in a gap. The woman tripped and fell down six steps. She fractured her right tibia and tore her right meniscus. The woman alleged negligence against the homeowner. She claimed she failed to inspect the defective stairway and maintain safe premises. This case settled for $19,500.
  • 2022, New Jersey: $875,000 Verdict. A pedestrian was hit at a crosswalk. She suffered a left meniscus tear, a left tibia fracture, spinal disc bulging, and a head injury. The woman was left with cognitive deficits. She alleged negligence against the at-fault driver. The woman claimed he failed to yield to a pedestrian and watch the road. Following arbitration, she received $875,000.
  • 2022, Mississippi: $3,393,000 Verdict. A 60-something woman entered a travel center. She tripped and fell over a “wet floor” sign that a customer knocked over five minutes earlier. The woman suffered bilateral medial and meniscal tears. She also sustained back pain. The woman now required bilateral knee replacements. She alleged negligence against the travel center. The woman claimed its employees failed to remove a wet floor sign and maintain safe premises. The jury awarded $3,393,000.
  • 2021, Maryland: $500,000 Verdict. A pedestrian walked along an intersection. He was struck by a vehicle. The man suffered multiple right knee injuries. He alleged negligence against the at-fault driver. The man claimed he failed to yield to a pedestrian and control her vehicle. A jury awarded $500,000.
  • 2021, Maryland: $50,163 Verdict. A woman was rear-ended. She injured her left knee, left shoulder, eye, head, jaw, neck, back, face, and chest. The woman alleged negligence against the at-fault driver, and she claimed she failed to slow down and avoid a collision. The jury awarded a $50,163 payout.
  • 2021, Maryland: $13,720 Verdict. A female passenger was involved in a collision at an intersection. She suffered a left knee strain and sprain, a knee cap contusion, left arm contusions, and lumbar spasms, strains, and sprains. The woman alleged negligence against the at-fault driver. She claimed he failed to avoid a collision and safely operate his vehicle. The jury awarded $13,720.
  • 2021, Virginia: $475,000 Settlement. A pedestrian was struck at a crosswalk. She suffered a left tibial plateau fracture and a concussion. The woman underwent an open reduction internal fixation procedure. She also received rehabilitative care. The woman alleged negligence against the at-fault driver. She claimed he failed to yield to a pedestrian and maintain an appropriate lookout. These parties agreed to a settlement amount of $475,000.
  • 2021, Missouri: $100,000 Settlement. A man was struck. He tore his left meniscus. The man also suffered spinal injuries. He underwent knee surgery and chiropractic treatment. The man alleged negligence against the at-fault driver. The man claimed she failed to maintain an appropriate lookout. This case settled for $100,000.
  • 2021, Washington: $695,000 Settlement. A 54-year-old dump truck driver was struck by a snowplow. He suffered a concussion and the aggravation of his pre-existing right knee, neck, and lumbar injuries. The man initially received steroid and cortisone injections. He also underwent a total knee replacement and an L4-S1 fusion within a year. The man continued to experience chronic lumbar pain. He treated it with narcotics. The man alleged negligence against the snowplow driver. He claimed he failed to stop and maintain an appropriate lookout. This case settled for $695,000.
  • 2020, California: $3,500,000 Settlement. A 32-year-old motorcyclist was T-boned. He fractured his left femur, left patella, left tibia and fibula, right scapula, right clavicle, pelvis, and right heel. The man also suffered right lung contusions, hematuria, and arterial injuries. He developed rhabdomyolysis, anemia, lactic acidosis, and leukocytosis. The man underwent a below-the-knee amputation. He was left with acute pain and emotional distress. The man alleged negligence against the at-fault driver. He claimed he made a negligent left turn and failed to maintain an appropriate lookout. This case settled for $3,500,000.
  • 2020, Washington: $4,500,000 Verdict. A 30-year-old pipe layer helped renovate a school. He became caught between the excavator bucket and the spreader bar. He suffered a meniscus tear. The man underwent knee arthroscopy. He sustained cartilage defects behind his kneecap. The man alleged negligence against the general contractor. He claimed it failed to maintain safe working conditions. The man received a $4,500,000 verdict.
  • 2020, Arkansas: $1,002,411 Verdict. An 84-year-old woman tripped on an elevated threshold outside of a supermarket restroom. She fractured her right patella and left humerus. The woman underwent knee surgery. She alleged negligence against the supermarket. The woman claimed its staff failed to adequately maintain the premises, inspect them, warn of the hazard, and properly train employees. She received a $1,002,411 verdict.

Hiring a Knee Injury Lawyer to Get Compensation

If you or a loved one has suffered a knee injury as a result of someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages. Seeking legal assistance from an experienced knee injury attorney can help you navigate the complex legal process and obtain the compensation you deserve.

At our law firm, we are committed to fighting for the rights of our clients and holding the responsible parties accountable. Call us today at 800-553-8082 to get an immediate consultation and learn more about how we can help you pursue your knee injury compensation claim.  You can also connect with us online for a free case evaluation.

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