The Impact of Small Verdicts and Settlements on the Trucking Industry

This report presents an analysis of litigation-related settlements, in cases spanning the last 14 years, to investigate the impact on motor carriers of “small” litigation, lawsuits resulting in verdicts under $1 million. It begins with a look at factors that have led to an increase in small litigation. Next it analyzes the relationship between small litigation and commercial motor vehicle insurance rates. Payment size by State is outlined, with California, New Jersey and Missouri having the highest average payment sizes. In addition, the impacts of crash characteristics on payment sizes and whether a case is settled in or out of court are discussed. The average litigation-payment for fatal crashes was $607,532. Data in the report includes: average litigation-related payment size by injury, litigation-related payment size by alleged infractions, and litigation-related payment size by State vs Federal Court. The report also discusses settlements and verdicts by State vs Federal courts and the significance on verdicts of expert witness testimony.

• Record URL:
  • https://truckingresearch.org/2021/11/17/the-impact-of-small-verdicts-and-settlements-on-the-trucking-industry/
• Record URL:
  • https://truckingresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/ATRI-Impact-of-Small-Verdicts-11-2021.pdf
• Corporate Authors:

  American Transportation Research Institute

  Arlington, VA  United States 
• Authors:
  • Evans, Claire
  • Leslie, Alex
• Publication Date: 2021-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 55p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Court decisions; Insurance rates; Litigation; Motor carriers; Truck crashes
• Subject Areas: Finance; Law; Motor Carriers;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01789493
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 30 2021 10:18AM