Methodology
How we report case outcomes
Reported outcomes can help people understand a range — or mislead them badly. These are the rules every outcome figure on this site must meet. If a dataset does not meet them, we publish nothing.
01Which data we use
Every outcome record must identify its source, jurisdiction, date, type of resolution and our right to use it. We use official public sources and licensed verdict and settlement data — only where the licence allows it. We do not republish licensed records we are not permitted to share.
02How outcomes are summarised
- Median, not average. The middle reported outcome. One very large case cannot define it.
- Middle 50%. The range from the 25th to the 75th percentile, so the spread is visible.
- Highest reported outcome. Shown separately and labelled as an outlier — never as what someone can expect.
- Resolution types kept apart. Settlements, plaintiff verdicts, defense verdicts and awards are not blended without saying so.
03Sample size and time window
We publish a figure only when enough reported cases stand behind it. The minimum sample size is set by our legal and data reviewers, and every figure shows its sample size. We normally use a rolling window of five to ten years, and always show the date range and the date of the last update.
04Geography
A figure is labelled "national" only if the data really covers the nation. Otherwise the label matches the states or areas the data covers.
05What the amounts mean
We show the gross reported award or settlement. We never estimate attorney fees or what a person received after costs. If an amount is adjusted for inflation, we say so, show the base year and keep the original figure.
06What reported outcomes cannot tell you
Reported outcomes are historical data, not a prediction or guarantee. Many settlements are confidential and never reported, and cases that ended with no recovery are under-represented. Your case may differ substantially based on fault, medical evidence, permanency, lost income, insurance, venue, timing and other factors. That is why the case factor check never shows a dollar figure for your situation.
07Where we are today
61 individual reported outcomes are published, each with its named source, a link and the date it was reported, on the research page and on the case-type pages they relate to. Where several are shown together, we show the lowest and the highest and say what they are.
Summary figures — medians and middle-50% ranges — are not published yet. They will appear once enough records of one kind stand behind them to meet the rules above.