What is the most expensive lawsuit and why?
Asked by: Santino Larson | Last update: July 27, 2025Score: 4.3/5 (27 votes)
The Biggest Lawsuit Ever: The Tobacco Settlement — $206 Billion. The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement was filed in 1998 against the four largest tobacco companies in the United States and remains the largest lawsuit in history in terms of dollars involved. Defendants included Philip Morris, R. J.
What was the most expensive lawsuit?
1998 – The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement – $206 Billion. The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement was entered in November 1998 and is still the largest lawsuit settlement in history.
What's the longest lawsuit ever?
Introduction. Myra Clark Gaines' 19th century fight over an enormous inheritance is still the longest-running civil lawsuit in American history, taking over 60 years to finally find some kind of resolution. The United States Supreme Court called her case "the most remarkable in the records."
What was the largest settlement in US history?
The largest settlement in US history is the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement at $206 billion, making it not just the largest personal injury settlement but the largest legal settlement overall.
Who makes the most money in a class action lawsuit?
The lead class plaintiff or plaintiffs typically receive a more significant share of a class settlement. The reason is that the lead plaintiff does most of the work before, during, and after legal proceedings, playing an active role in hearings, trials, and other court proceedings.
Top 8 Most Expensive Lawsuit Settlements Ever !!
How to get a million dollar settlement?
- Extensive Economic Damages. ...
- Severe Injuries. ...
- Pain and Suffering. ...
- Aggravating Factors. ...
- Ability To Pay. ...
- Document All Damages. ...
- Follow Doctor's Orders. ...
- Stay Off Social Media.
What is the most amount of money won in a lawsuit?
Tobacco Awards
In 2002, a California jury awarded Betsy Bullock $28 billion who began smoking at 17 and developed lung cancer which spread to her liver at the age of 64. In addition to the $28 billion in punitive damages, Bullock was also awarded $850,000 in compensatory damages from Philip Morris.
What is the highest permanent settlement in the world?
Tucked away in the eastern Andes Mountains, about 5,000 meters (3 miles) above sea level, the town of La Rinconada is the highest permanent settlement in the world. The Peruvian town does not have running water, a sewage system, or garbage disposal.
What drug company fined $3 billion?
The settlement amount includes both the civil (False Claims Act) settlement and criminal fine. Glaxo's $3 billion settlement included the largest civil False Claims Act settlement on record, and Pfizer's $2.3 billion ($3.5 billion in 2022) settlement including a record-breaking $1.3 billion criminal fine.
What injuries pay the most?
The highest-paying car accident injuries often involve severe conditions like spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and multiple fractures. These injuries require extensive medical treatment, leading to substantial medical bills and significant pain and suffering damages.
What phase of a lawsuit is usually the longest?
Question: Now that the issues of the conflict are defined, is most of the case work done during discovery? Rustin: Discovery is usually the longest part of the case. This is the stage where the parties ask each other for information about the facts and issues of the case.
What is the largest pain and suffering settlement?
The largest personal injury settlement in U.S. history was the landmark 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), where major tobacco companies agreed to pay $206 billion over 25 years to 46 states to compensate for medical costs related to smoking-related illnesses.
What is the most money lost in a lawsuit?
The Biggest Lawsuit Ever: The Tobacco Settlement — $206 Billion. The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement was filed in 1998 against the four largest tobacco companies in the United States and remains the largest lawsuit in history in terms of dollars involved. Defendants included Philip Morris, R. J.
What is the longest lawsuit in US history?
Lasting for more than fifty years, the Myra Clark Gaines litigation is known as the longest case in US history, beginning around 1834 and culminating in a ruling in her favor and against the City of New Orleans in 1889.
Who paid the largest criminal fine in United States history?
Pfizer promoted the sale of Bextra for several uses and dosages that the FDA specifically declined to approve due to safety concerns. The company will pay a criminal fine of $1.195 billion, the largest criminal fine ever imposed in the United States for any matter.
What is the highest payout for slip and fall?
The largest settlement ever awarded in a slip and fall lawsuit was over 20 million dollars. This amount was awarded to the plaintiff, an elderly woman who suffered severe injuries after slipping on a wet tile floor in a hotel lobby.
What is the largest legal payout in history?
- Tobacco master settlement agreement for **$206 billion** [The Largest Ever] ...
- BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill $20 billion. ...
- Volkswagen emissions scandal $14.7 billion. ...
- Enron securities fraud $7.2 billion. ...
- WorldCom accounting scandal $6.1 billion. ...
- Fen-Phen diet drugs $3.8 billion.
What is the most expensive drug ever sold?
The most expensive rug ever sold is the Clark Sickle-Leaf Carpet, a 17th-century Persian masterpiece. Initially estimated at around $10 million, it fetched a staggering $33.7 million at a Sotheby's auction in 2013. The 8'9" x 6'5" carpet was previously owned by industrialist and senator William A.
What is the most expensive drug in the US?
Lenmeldy (atidarsagene autotemcel) is the most expensive drug on the market with a steep price tag of $4.25m. The gene therapy is developed for children with metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), a potentially fatal disorder caused by a mutation in the arylsulfatase-A (ARSA) gene, which leads to the buildup of fats.
How high can humans live?
The summit of K2, the second highest mountain on Earth, is in the death zone. At an altitude of 19,000 m (63,000 ft), the atmospheric pressure is sufficiently low that water boils at the normal temperature of the human body. This altitude is known as the Armstrong limit.
What is the oldest permanent settlement in the United States?
Forty-two years before the English colonized Jamestown and fifty-five years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, the Spanish established at St. Augustine this nation's first enduring settlement.
Which continent has no real settlement?
Antarctica. Antarctica is the only continent with no permanent human habitation. There are, however, permanent human settlements, where scientists and support staff live for part of the year on a rotating basis.
What is the highest wrongful death settlement?
The highest wrongful death settlement was $160 million.
Does money won in a lawsuit count as income?
The general rule regarding taxability of amounts received from settlement of lawsuits and other legal remedies is Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 61. This section states all income is taxable from whatever source derived, unless exempted by another section of the code.
What happens if someone sues you for more money than you have?
If you don't have sufficient assets to satisfy an award, you may be forced to give up a portion of your wages to the injured victim until they recoup the amount allocated by the court order. Even if you don't have assets now, future assets and income could be seized.