The average verdict in chest and breast injury cases is $279,188, according to a Jury Verdict Research study over the last 10 years. Almost half of these cases were medical malpractice cases (41%) but the bulk of the remaining cases involve auto, truck, and motorcycle accidents. Approximately 43% of the accident cases involve either a turning vehicle or an intersection collision.
The following are examples of recent chest and breast injury cases. Each of these cases can give you an idea of how much a potential case may settle for:
- 2020, Michigan: $490,000 Settlement. A 78-year-old former sailor suffered multiple rib fractures, and a collapsed lung after a sailboat collided with his sailboat during a regatta. He underwent emergency surgery to his collapsed lung. Doctors also surgically shortened his ribs and implanted a plate to stabilize the fractures. The case settled for $490,000.
- 2019, Washington, D.C.: $14,350,000 Verdict. A 30-something woman underwent a routine mammogram at Washington Radiologist Associates. The radiologist found nothing suspicious. She notified the patient and sent her home. Two years later, the woman returned for a second mammogram and an examination. She also complained of pain in her breast. Doctors found a lump in her breast and then diagnosed her with Stage IV breast cancer. After being diagnosed, she sought regular chemotherapy treatment. The woman sued the radiologist and Washington Radiologist associates for failing to diagnose her breast cancer. Her radiologist testified that he discovered calcification in the woman’s initial mammogram, which indicates breast cancer. The woman’s life care planning expert testified that she was only expected to live only 10 years after being diagnosed. The District of Columbia jury awarded her $14,350,000 in damages.
- 2019, Texas: $244,500 Verdict. A real estate agent suffered multiple injuries after she broadsided a driver who ran a red light at an intersection. She had a green light at the time. Specifically, she claimed that her seat belt damaged one of her breast implants. Her plastic surgeon recommended reparative surgery to her damaged implant, which would cost $6,500. She also suffered multiple disc tears and protrusions, which her pain management doctor recommended surgery for treatment. The jury awarded her a $244,500 verdict.
- 2019, Maryland: $190,000 Settlement. A 47-year-old welder suffered chest and knee injuries in a head-on collision that took place in Montgomery Township, Pennsylvania. Specifically, he suffered heart and lung contusions as well as a meniscus tear. He received physical therapy and steroid injections. His orthopedist recommended surgery. However, he chose not to undergo surgery because he could not afford it and could not afford to miss more workdays to recover. The lawsuit was filed in Maryland, specifically Montgomery County, because all involved parties were Maryland residents. This case settled for $190,000.
- 2018, Maryland: $150,000 Verdict. The owner of an excavation company’s pickup truck was broadsided by another driver’s sedan in Boyds. He received a diagnosis of a chest contusion, neck and back strain, and a left shoulder tear. His chest, neck, and back injuries resolved. However, the man continued to experience residual back pain. He noted that he can no longer do his favorite activities as often as he would like. The Montgomery County jury awarded him $150,000, only in past pain and suffering damages.