US courts hit corporations with record $31.3B in nuclear verdicts in 2024
US courts issued a record 135 nuclear verdicts against corporate defendants in 2024. The total payout from these cases reached $31.3 billion, with state courts handling the majority. A handful of industries and states saw the highest concentrations of lawsuits and awards. State courts delivered 85 of the 135 nuclear verdicts last year. Their combined total was almost twice that of federal courts. Texas led all states with 23 rulings, followed by California (17) and Pennsylvania (12). Florida, once second, fell to tenth place after passing tort reform laws in 2023.
Product liability cases dominated, accounting for 32 verdicts worth $13.9 billion. Philadelphia alone saw multiple high-profile rulings against Bayer AG over Roundup and Exxon Mobil for Mobil gasoline. Nevada recorded the highest total sumβ$8.4 billionβdue to lawsuits involving Real Water products. Thermonuclear verdicts, those exceeding $100 million, rose to 49 in 2024. Five of these topped $1 billion each. The pharmaceutical sector faced the most cases (10), while technology hardware and storage followed with nine. Abbott Laboratories and Mead Johnson infant nutrition products were also named in major judgments.
The surge in nuclear verdicts reflects growing litigation risks for corporations in specific states and industries. Product liability remains the most costly area, with a few cases driving billions in payouts. Legal reforms in states like Florida have already shifted the landscape for future lawsuits.
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