nuclear verdicts News

Changing the Focus of Claims, Data When Talking About Nuclear Verdicts

The topic of nuclear verdicts took center stage at this year’s Target Markets Annual Summit in Scottsdale, Arizona, where a panel of carriers and reinsurers discussed rising settlement costs amidst an uncertain litigation environment. Panelists representing Lloyd’s, Markel, MunichRe and …

U.S. Nuclear Verdicts Break Records and Drive Social Inflation to 7% in 2023, Report Shows

U.S. nuclear verdicts are breaking records with 27 court cases each awarding compensation of more than $100 million during 2023, according to Swiss Re executives. Social inflation in U.S. rose to 7% in 2023 – a 20 year high – …

Neutralizing Aftershock: Managing Claims in Response to Shock Verdicts

Shock verdicts remain on the rise nationally. They are generally recognized as awards exceeding $10 million that often defy rationale in relation to actual damages. These nuclear verdicts tend to occur in jurisdictions considered judicial warzones, such as Nevada, Pennsylvania, …

U.S. Chamber Research Shows Nuclear Verdicts Growing in Size and Frequency

Massive jury awards of $10 million or more continue to increase in size and frequency, according to a study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform. Between 2013 and 2022, the median nuclear verdict was $21 million, …

New Report Shows Nuclear Verdicts Surged to $14.5B in 2023

Nuclear verdicts of at least $10 million reached a 15-year high in 2023, while 27 verdicts were “thermonuclear,” or more than $100 million, according to a new study by research firm Marathon Strategies. The report, “Corporate Verdicts Go Thermonuclear,” found …

Dash Cameras in Fleet Vehicles Are Key to Avoiding Nuclear Verdicts, Risk Managers Say

ORLANDO, Fla. — Cameras. One showing the driver and another facing forward. Those can be the keys to avoiding nuclear verdicts after auto and truck crashes, especially for companies with fleets of vehicles and relatively inexperienced drivers, two Crum & …

Webinar Examines Good, Bad and Ugly of Litigation Financing

In insurance defense attorney Dennis Kass’ world, litigation financing firms lurk behind the scenes, pushing plaintiffs to undergo as much treatment as possible so lawyers can maximize the value of claims. “In a lot of ways, the plaintiffs become pawns …

Viewpoint: The Need for Defensive Anchoring in Response to Rising Jury Damages

In 1989, I began practicing law as a civil defense attorney in Chicago. I had the privilege of working for a law firm and partner who allowed me to gain a wealth of litigation and trial experience as a young …

Claims Business: CompScience, EagleView, Schaefer City and GGA

CompScience Now an MGA for Nationwide, Swiss Re CompScience Insurance Services has entered into a managing general agent agreement with Nationwide and Swiss Re to underwrite, bind and service workers’ compensation policies. CompScience, a San Francisco technology company, says its …

Report Says Social Inflation Adds Up to 11% to Physician Malpractice Claims

Social inflation accounts for 8 to 11 percent of all medical malpractice losses for carriers that insure physicians, according to an actuarial analysis commissioned by The Doctors Co. TDC hired Moore Actuarial Consulting to estimate how much insurers’ average losses …