Can you imagine a jury awarding millions of dollars to a family who lost their loved one in a car crash? Last year, several juries awarded the families of people who were killed millions of dollars. Just this year, in neighboring Texas, a jury awarded a Walmart shopper nearly $1.5 million after a box allegedly fell on her, hurting her neck permanently.
In 2015, people in vehicle accident lawsuits recovered millions of dollars in money damages. According to a recent report, the largest amount last year was in Florida, at $844.6 million. The money was awarded to a widow and child of a man killed by a drunk driver.
Another major accident award was in New Mexico. There, FedEx was held responsible for the death of a mother and her young daughter. The jury found that FedEx did not train its driver properly and awarded $165.5 million to the woman’s husband and son.
Could these gigantic jury awards happen in Louisiana? Probably not. Cases like these are usually the result of a jury wanting to send a message to someone whose behavior was particularly bad. Louisiana law generally does not allow punitive damages. In other words, it does not allow juries to award money to punish a wrongdoer. In most cases, people bringing lawsuits for car accidents can only receive money to compensate them for things like medical bills, lost wages, car damage, and pain and suffering.
You can read more about 2015’s major jury verdicts here.
If you or a loved one were injured in an accident, you may be entitled to money damages. The attorneys at Wright Pichon & Gray know that accidents cause can completely change your life. We will help you get back on track. Contact us today for a free case review: (504) 264-5552. If you decide to hire us, you won’t pay anything unless we get money for you.