Largest Ever Jury Award in Tennessee Mirrors National Trend

June 25, 2024

A Nashville jury awarded nearly $47 million in damages in the largest-ever medical professional liability judgment in Tennessee history. In this case, the hospital, not the physician, is being held liable for the majority of the award, minus amounts exceeding state law caps on non-economic damages which will reduce the total amount by several million dollars.

The Tennessee case is just one example of what’s happening nationally. Medical professional liability megaverdicts hit a record high in 2023, with more than half of the 57 megaverdict cases tipping over $25 million. Many reasons for the increasingly large jury awards are offered by experts, which include changing cultural attitudes and the generational shift in juries that are more cynical and less trusting of institutions, as well as the frustration with the overall healthcare system in general.

Expect to see more trials and settlements as the backlog of cases continue to clear from the COVID-19 pandemic court closures.