Search

Personal Injury Cases and Industry Trends: Statistics 2024

copy link

Overall the fields of medicine and law have some complex intersecting areas, and for those who are practicing in health care, recognition of settings of personal injury cases is important. In this blog, we’ll take an in-depth look at the key data about personal injuries in the United States and its potential implications for your practice.

Industry Trends Shaping the Future of Personal Injury Cases

Several trends are reshaping the personal injury billing landscape, with implications for both patients and healthcare providers.

Several trends are changing the face of personal injury, and most of them are likely to have an impact on patients as well as healthcare providers.

  • The rise of technology: New technologies like EHR, telemedicine, and wearable devices are revolutionizing the method by which diagnostic data is processed. It can be beneficial when applied to a personal injury claim but, at the same time, it opens up new problems regarding privacy and security.

  • Focus on prevention: Safety and injury prevention are now an increasingly prominent part of public health promotion and legislation. Although this trend can be effective in the reduction of the number of personal injury cases it also sheds light on the issue of early intervention and rehabilitation.

  • Changes in insurance coverage: The insurance companies are becoming more probe in handling the claims, therefore entailing complicated trials and legal issues for the injured persons. The findings also imply that healthcare providers can support patients by providing adequate documentation in the form of instructions.

The Role of Healthcare Providers in Personal Injury Cases

Some of the most important players in personal injury collections include healthcare providers. This involves recording all medical details of the patient's injury that should be presented to the beneficiary and other parties to support the medical expenses incurred as well as reimbursement for the same.

  • Document thoroughly: Ensure that clear and comprehensive records of the patient’s medical history, particularly those patients a party to a personal injury lawsuit are kept.

  • Communicate effectively: Clearly document the nature and extent of injuries, treatment plans, and patient progress.

  • Establish rapport with patients: You should ensure that your patients feel comfortable around you in order to encourage them to be honest about their symptoms and restrictions.

  • Understand legal requirements: Understand the legal basics of the medical documentation for PI cases.

Common Personal Injury Stats

Personal injury law is one of the most popular types of legal practice in the United States as there are numerous cases registered daily. Car accidents as well as negligent acts of doctors and other health care providers, attacks by dogs, and the use of faulty products, are some of the areas of the legal practice through which personal injury lawyers help their clients seek justice and compensation. So, here are some general key stats: So, here are some general key stats:

  • Currently, personal injury lawyers are present in around 60,000 law firms in the US and represent roughly 164,559 attorneys.

  • Florida has the highest number of personal injury filings per capita in the United States and is 1,237% above the national rate.

  • In the US, it's estimated that there are 39.5 million personal injury cases that necessitate medical care each year, translating to roughly 126.3 cases per 1,000 people.

  • The personal injury market is anticipated to experience considerable growth, having been valued at $53.1 billion in 2022, and is forecasted to grow by $6.4%.

  • Most personal injury claims are settled outside the courtroom, with approximately 4-5% of cases going to trial.

Personal Injury Occurrence Rates

Injuries and accidents do occur at any place and at any time. Some accidents occur by chance and there are those accidents that occur as a result of negligence or carelessness of some people. Knowing the likelihood and frequency of personal injury accidents can assist those who may plan on preventing their selves from being involved in the incident. 

The following are the national averages of personal injuries and these describe the rates of incidence of personal injuries and the general picture of personal injuries. They also refer to the likelihood of damages in case of legal actions that may arise from the investigations.

  • Every second somebody gets accidentally hurt in the United States, and every three minutes somebody dies as a result of an accidental injury.

  • Road accidents claimed 38, 680 people in 2021 a 7. 2% increase in 2020.

  • The mortality per 100,000 registered motorcycles in the United States is 58. 33%.

  • The common personal injury claims that are usually filed are those resulting from car accidents.

What Is the Most Common Personal Injury Claim?

Knowing the most common personal injury cases in the US helps collection agencies understand what kind of cases they're likely to handle and helps potential clients recognize when they might have a valid claim.  

The most frequent type of personal injury claim often reflects the risks we face in our everyday lives. It's not always the dramatic accidents that make the news — sometimes it's the everyday mishaps that lead people to seek legal help. Let’s have a look at important stats about common personal injury claims:

  • According to the statistics, road traffic accidents are the most frequently used reason for personal injury claims, and they make up 52% of cases.

  • Tripping and falling claims are around 22% of the total personal injury claims.

  • Although medical malpractice claims are comparatively rare when they occur they are costlier; the average payment is $242 000.

  • Product liability cases have increased by 73% from 2013 to 2022.

Personal Injury Case Duration Stats

The time begins as soon as you get hurt, but how long does it take for the last bell to be struck? This is because some cases take months to years to come to an end, depending on the case details. Still, to the injured parties, this waiting game is rather unproductive and at times annoying. Utilities stack up and life continues without consideration for trials to be held. 

This is why most collections agencies strive to seek that balance between an early offer and a prolonged negotiation for shares. Some states on duration relevant to personal injury cases are as below:

  • Average PI case may take between 6 to 12 months to settle.

  • Under-trial cases typically take up to 2 years unlike those that are resolved out of court.

  • The statute of limitations for PI cases ranges from 1 to 6 years, but it depends on the state.

Trends in Legal Costs Over Time

A personal injury lawsuit is quite possibly the most challenging claim to defend due to a number of conditions and conditions influencing the decisions and the settlement. Each of these statistics has a human story behind it. It is now time to analyze some peculiarities of personal injury lawsuit sales to evaluate the tendencies in this field.

What Percentage of Personal Injury Cases Go to Trial in the US?

Most of the suits are resolved through compromises which may be through the intervention of the legal representatives or even through the intervention of a neutral third party. This may come as a shock to many people especially those with a perception that every injury claim comes with courtroom battles. 

Why so few trials? Well, trials are costly and take a long time; their outcomes are highly unpredictable. Each is usually more inclined to accept a settlement rather than having to go to trial and face the risk of losing. But do not think that a very low percentage of cases that go to a trial does not matter – these cases can significantly affect the overall picture. These cases are usually of higher value or present a different dimension and the decisions made set the tone for the subsequent cases.

  • The statistics also show that in trials that are conducted, the plaintiff is usually successful in 50% of the cases.

  • The majority of medical malpractice lawsuits are resolved prior to receiving a trial, with only about 7% proceeding to the court.

  • Personal injury cases, that end up in trial, receive an average of $52,900 in compensation.

Success Rates in Personal Injury Settlement

You might wonder: how often do the plaintiffs who sustain an injury in an accident win their personal injury claims? But when it comes to personal injury compensation, the victory is not just in winning or in losing but in retrieving a deserved payout. 

Full and final monetary settlement may take time and could differ in quality according to the case type, the extent of injured persons, and the expertise of the attorney.

  • Personal injury claim is initiated where around 95-96% of the cases are resolved through out-of-court settlements.

  • The rate of success for car accident injury claims is about 61% in the US.

  • Medical malpractice lawsuits have a lower chance of being won, only 19% are compensated.