Vertebrae Fracture Settlement Amounts

Our law firm has handled a lot of vertebrae fractures in car, motorcycle, and truck accident cases over the last 20 years.  A vertebrae fracture can be a serious, significant, and permanent injury to the musculoskeletal system. You wouldn’t wish this fracture on anyone.

What is the Settlement Value of a Vertebrae Fracture Case?

One study found that the national median award at trial in personal injury cases for a vertebra fracture is $112,537.  The median award for multiple vertebrae fractures is almost double the single vertebra amount, $207,000.

This is far lower than our law firm’s average settlement in vertebrae fracture cases. Why? There could be some jurisdictional differences. Because this is not Maryland data, but national data. The pool for these statistics may also include hairline fractures. When I’m talking vertebrae fracture claims, I’m not talking about hairline fractures.

In fact, I assumed these vertebral fracture numbers were low because these compensation statistics excluded cases with a spinal cord or head injury. But apparently, 7.5% of the verdicts were in excess of $2,500,000.  This likely means they included vertebrae fractures where the spinal cord was implicated, or there was an accompanying head injury.

Almost two-thirds of the cases in the study were motor vehicle accidents, the leading cause of spinal injuries in this country.  In my law practice, I would say that 90% of our vertebral injuries were from motor vehicle crashes.

Vertebrae Injury Settlement Amounts

Here are some sample jury payouts and settlement amounts for vertebrae injuries from around the country over the last four years.  I’ve added as many cases in Maryland as I could find.  Many of our cases involved strict confidentiality clauses, unfortunately.

Remember, sample settlements and compensation awards alone tell you little about the settlement value of your claim. But used with other resources, it helps you to appreciate the most likely range of outcomes for your claim.

• 2022: Pennsylvania: $2,200,000 Settlement—A 45-year-old man was broadsided by a patrol vehicle. He suffered a C7 fracture, C6-7 and C7-T1 facet injuries, an L5-S1 herniation, cervical and lumbar radiculopathy, and a left elbow fracture. The man underwent cervical and lumbar fusions. He alleged negligence against the police officer. The man claimed he ran a red light, excessively sped, and failed to yield the right-of-way. This case settled for $2,200,000.
• 2022: New York: $303,000 Settlement—An assisted living resident tripped and fell. She suffered an L1 fracture, lumbar bulges, a concussion, a broken tooth, and lumbar spinal nerve encroachment. The woman underwent a kyphoplasty. She sustained post-traumatic headaches. The woman alleged negligence against the facility. She claimed its staff failed to prevent her fall and maintain the premises. This case settled for $303,000.
• 2021: Virginia: $700,000 Settlement—A pedestrian lawfully entered a crosswalk. She was struck by a vehicle that turned left at a yellow arrow. The woman fractured her L1 disc, fibula, left hip, and coccyx. She also suffered a foot wound and a bladder rupture. The woman was hospitalized for a week. She spent an additional week in an in-patient rehabilitation facility. The woman then underwent physical therapy and wound care for several months. She alleged negligence against the at-fault driver. The woman claimed he failed to maintain an appropriate lookout and yield to a pedestrian. This case settled for $700,000.
• 2021: Virginia: $250,000 Settlement—A 73-year-old man was rear-ended in a car accident. He suffered a T10 fracture. The man’s fracture healed on its own. He alleged negligence against the at-fault driver. The man claimed he failed to slow down and negligently tailgated him. He also made a UIM claim. This case settled for $250,000.
• 2021: Michigan: $250,000 Verdict—A 53-year-old woman was a Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) bus passenger. The bus moved slightly downward after driving on uneven pavement. As a result, the woman flew out of her seat. Her head struck the ceiling. The woman suffered an L2 compression fracture. She underwent physical therapy for two-and-a-half months. The woman also underwent pain management for six months. She could no longer enjoy bowling, golfing, or cycling. The woman alleged negligence against the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). She claimed MDOT failed to maintain safe roadways and repair the hazard. A jury awarded the woman $250,000.
• 2021: Texas: $1,120,258 Verdict—A 68-year-old woman was shopping with her granddaughter at Walmart. It rained that day. She slipped and fell on a floor mat. The woman suffered a lumbar fracture and bulges. She underwent four nerve block injections over one year. The woman underwent no additional treatments. She alleged negligence against Walmart. The woman claimed its employees failed to maintain safe premises and used thin, narrow floor mats. She received a $1,120,258 award.
• 2021: Indiana: $39,051,020 Verdict—A 58-year-old woman was struck in a chain-reaction collision. She suffered L1, C5, and rib fractures. The woman also suffered a pulmonary contusion and a left foot drop injury. She developed left-hand spasticity. The woman now used a cane. She could no longer work as a nurse. The woman alleged negligence against the truck driver that initiated the collision. She claimed he failed to slow down and maintain a proper lookout. The jury awarded her $39,051,020.
• 2020: California: $21,513,000 Verdict—A farmworker suffered a cervical spine fracture after a vehicle rear-ended the van in which he was a passenger. He went to the hospital, where doctors performed cervical fusion surgery on him. Despite the surgery, he was now partially quadriplegic and used a wheelchair. His neurosurgeon testified that he was wheelchair-bound for life. The jury awarded the man $21,513,000.  Unlike many states, including Maryland, California does not have a cap on non-economic damages, which will become clear in the next two cases.  That said, I’m sure the medical bills were extremely high, and his future medical care needs certainly run in the millions.
• 2020: California: $4,875,000 Settlement—A retiree suffered vertebrae fractures at T7, L2, L3, L4, and L5 after a vehicle struck his head-on at an intersection. He also suffered sternum, left ulna, right ilium, and rib fractures. The man underwent multiple surgeries to repair these injuries. He was hospitalized for over 170 days. His counsel contended that he could no longer walk on his own and needed round-the-clock care for life. The case settled for $4,875,000.
• 2020: California: $5,500,000 Verdict – A nursing home resident suffered multiple injuries after a fall.  The nursing home staff escorted her to an activity right before she fell. She suffered a C1 vertebrae fracture, head trauma, and a mild traumatic brain injury. The elderly woman was not a candidate for neck surgery because of her age. She wore a collar for three months instead. She also underwent physical and occupational therapy. Her daughter sued the facility for negligence, seeking recovery for past and future pain and suffering. The jury awarded a $5,500,000 verdict.

• 2020: New York: $2,195,000 Settlement – A sprinkler installer was working at a renovation site. He fell 11 feet through an opening in the building’s ground floor, landing in the building’s basement. He suffered fractures to his vertebrae, his jaw, his eye socket, and both his wrists. The man also suffered a brachial plexus injury. He visited two separate hospitals right after his fall. The staff gave him painkillers at the second hospital but did not treat his spinal fractures. He was hospitalized for nine days. He was transferred to an inpatient rehabilitative facility and received physical therapy. Upon being discharged, he underwent outpatient physical therapy courses. He testified that his spinal cord injury left him with a weakened right arm, and residual neck and back pain. The man underwent spinal nerve-transplant surgery to treat his weakened arm, but the procedure was unsuccessful. He no longer worked as a sprinkler installer but worked as a chef instead. The case settled for $2,195,000.
• 2020: New Jersey: $400,000 Settlement – A woman suffered pelvic and back injuries after an SUV sideswiped her sedan. An ambulance took her to the hospital, where staff diagnosed her with L2-3 and L-4 disc herniations, L2 and L3 fractures, and pelvic fractures. She was transferred to an inpatient rehabilitation facility and received physical and occupational therapy for two weeks. The woman testified that her injuries decreased her strength and mobility from the motor vehicle accident. Her balance was also impaired. Her orthopedic surgeon recommended decompression and intervertebral disc fusion surgery.  She had not undergone surgery at the time of settlement. The parties negotiated a $400,000 pretrial settlement.
• 2019: Maryland: $475,000 Verdict – This case involved three vehicles. A vehicle rear-ended another vehicle while they were at an intersection in Harford County. The impact forced the other vehicle into a head-on collision with a 70-year-old man’s vehicle, causing it to go airborne and land in a field. The man suffered a cervical fracture to his C-5 vertebra, a clavicle fracture, a facial laceration, rib fractures, and a punctured lung. He was also later diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. The man was hospitalized for three days following the car accident. He received a neck brace. His doctors noted that little intervention was available because of his injuries. Over several months, his injuries resolved. He did not attend physical therapy but had periodic checkups while he wore the brace. After three months, doctors removed it. He received no further treatment. The man testified that he experienced constant neck pain and difficulties turning his head to the left. He received a $475,000 jury verdict.
• 2019: Maryland: $309,276 Verdict – A dump truck rear-ended a real estate investor’s vehicle. The collision’s impact forced his vehicle into the vehicle in front of him. This motor vehicle accident involved a total of five cars. An ambulance took the real estate investor to the hospital, where staff diagnosed him with rib fractures, a displaced sternum fracture, and multiple thoracic fractures. They also diagnosed him with thoracic spondylosis, thoracic compression fracture pain, and chronic neuropathic pain. The man eventually underwent open reduction surgery to his sternum. He also underwent physical therapy. His medical experts testified that he suffered permanent injuries and could no longer work as a real estate investor. The Montgomery County jury awarded him $309,276.
• 2019: Maryland: $379,975 Verdict – A married couple was involved in a head-on collision car accident. The wife suffered T11 and T12 fractures. She also suffered an annular tear to her C6-7. The woman sought physical therapy for about a year and also received a pain injection to her spine. She sought no further treatment. In court, she testified that her permanent back pain affects her daily activities. Her husband suffered soft-tissue shoulder injuries. He sought only physical therapy for about seven months. He testified that his shoulder injury affected his daily activities. St. Mary’s County jury awarded the woman $300,270.26 and her husband $79,704.28. However, the liability policy limit capped her damages to $250,000. (I’m assuming it was an uninsured motorist policy behind the claim.  The policy limit would not impede the collection of the full verdict under Maryland’s bad faith law. )
• 2017: New Jersey: $525,057 Verdict – A New Jersey man was sideswiped by a car executing an illegal U-turn.  He suffered vertebral column breaks at C5-C-6.
• 2016: Washington: $2,700,000 Verdict –  A 24-year-old avid cyclist approached an intersection where the “Don’t Walk” signal for pedestrians was illuminated. When the signal changed, the man crossed the median he was hit by a semi-truck.  He fractured 10 vertebrae, had 9 fractured ribs, and fractured his hip and pelvis.
• 2016: Georgia: $739,500 Verdict – A female retired anesthesiologist was driving down the highway when a driver trying to merge with traffic hit her vehicle, forcing her into a concrete median wall. She suffered cervical fractures and a bilateral jump facet injury which required fusion surgery from C3 to T2.
• 2014, Pennsylvania: $490,000 Verdict – A Philadelphia plaintiff was arrested after a bar fight and placed in the back of a police car. He claimed that the officers drove around erratically after failing to restrain him properly. He brought legal action against the city after he suffered three fractured vertebrae, claiming that the erratic drive resulted in the injury. The defendant argued that the injuries actually occurred from the plaintiff banging his head against a holding cell door while intoxicated. The plaintiff could return to his construction position. Eventually, the defendant settled for $490,000.
• 2010, Maryland: $10,500 Verdict – The plaintiff was a passenger in a car that was rear-ended by a dump truck. The defendant failed to observe the changing light as the plaintiff’s car slowed for a yellow light. She suffered five fractured vertebrae and sought $10,500. The defendant alleged that the injuries from the truck accident were minor and that she recovered to her pre-accident status. Plus, she had sustained back injuries in the past. The jury awarded a $10,500 verdict.
• 2009, Maryland: $45,000 Settlement – While the plaintiff was driving, a tractor-trailer ran her off the road and into a median. She sustained two fractured vertebrae and had to be transported to a local hospital via ambulance. She pursued a claim against her uninsured motorist carrier and settled for $45,000.
• 2009, Pennsylvania: $87,035 Verdict – The plaintiff was driving in a car on a two-lane road when the defendant crossed the center line, hitting the car head-on. The crash resulted in a fractured vertebra, prompting the plaintiff to sue the other driver. The jury awarded her $87,035.
• 2010, Massachusetts: $600,000 Settlement – While the plaintiff was in the hospital, a nurse attempted to change the sheets on her bed. During the process, she caused the plaintiff to fall out of the bed, which fractured two of her vertebrae. She had to undergo corrective surgery, resulting in an infection and subsequent surgery. The parties settled for $600,000.
• 2014, Florida: $250,087 Verdict – The plaintiff was shopping in a Dollar General store when she slipped on spilled detergent. A child had caused the spill several minutes before the plaintiff’s fall. She was a 68-year-old woman who suffered broken vertebrae. The jury awarded her $250,087.

How Vertebrae Settlement Amounts Are Calculated

Vertebral fractures are serious injuries that can result in chronic pain and disability and the settlement payouts you saw above reflect this.  Settlement amounts in  any personal injury lawsuit is very personalized to the unique facts of that case.  The settlement amount in a vertebral fracture case can vary depending on many factors, including:

1. the severity of the injury
2. the plaintiff’s “likeability”
3. the extent of medical treatment required,
4. the amount of lost income and future earning potential
5. the overall impact on the victim’s quality of life
6. the jurisdiction
7. the strength of the evidence
8. the insurance policy limits

Vertebrae Fracture Studies

Žatecký, J., et al. (2022). The first case report of multiple thoracic vertebrae fractures caused by a low-voltage electric shock. European Journal of Medical Research, 27(1), 1-4.

This case report examined a 22-year-old man who suffered thoracic vertebrae fractures from low-voltage electric shock. The researchers found that he suffered T2-6 fractures. He used a cervicothoracic support corset for treatment. Following rehabilitation, he regained spinal mobility with no back pain. The researchers concluded that clinicians should consider vertebral fractures in electric shock cases, especially if the patient experiences pain and limited spinal mobility.

Hershkovitz, Y., et al. (2021). Thoracic vertebrae fracture: Is it an indicator of abdominal injury?. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 43, 235-237.

This study looked at the abdominal injury incidence and severity in blunt trauma patients with thoracic vertebrae fractures. The researchers found that thoracic vertebrae fracture patients are two to three times more likely to suffer intraabdominal organ injuries. They found that the most commonly injured organs were the spleen, liver, and kidney. The researchers concluded that clinicians should always consider intraabdominal injuries in thoracic spine fracture cases.

Kim, K. C., et al. (2021). Automatic lumbar vertebrae detection and segmentation from X-ray images for compression fracture evaluation. Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine, 200, 105833.

This study found that a structured hierarchical segmentation method that combined the level-set method with two deep-learning methods accurately identified each lumbar vertebra and its segmentation.

Xin, J., et al. (2021). Multifactor analysis of costal pain in osteoporotic fracture of thoracic vertebra. Pain Physician, 24(6), E795.

This study found a positive association between costal pain and fractured vertebra width in osteoporotic thoracic vertebrae fracture patients.

Hoyt, D., et al. (2020). Current concepts in the management of vertebral compression fractures. Current Pain and Headache Reports, 24(5), 1-10.

This study found that balloon kyphoplasties and vertebroplasties were better at reducing pain than non-surgical methods. It also found that balloon kyphoplasties were better at height restoration than vertebroplasties.

Burst Fractures

A burst fracture is one of the most challenging vertebra injuries we see.  These are most commonly seen at L1 or T9-L5.   A burst fracture is a serious injury in which the vertebral body appears to have exploded. The burst injury mechanism involves the failure of the end-plate causing the nucleus to force into the vertebra, causing it to burst with an outward displacement of fragments.

The bone is compressed and splintered.  It is created by a load or a force being applied to the spine which causes the bone to compress and then expand, causing the bone to be propelled back into the spinal cord.  It is usually an awful injury that causes severe pain and bleeding, leaving the victim unable to walk immediately after the injury.  This injury often requires immediate neurosurgery.  Burst fractures will typically have higher average settlements than other compression fracture cases.

Crush Fractures

With a crush fracture (also called a compression fracture), instead of a bone-breaking across, you can see a sharp line representing the break in the bone continuity.  The bone just collapses, as if crushed from pressure.

With this injury, the bone is compressed or squeezed by a force that is greater than the bone’s ability to withstand.  A sudden, high-intensity force, such as a fall or a car accident, can cause the vertebral body to collapse and fracture. This type of fracture is most commonly seen in the vertebral column, particularly in the thoracic and lumbar spine.

This injury sounds awful and it has real jury appeal. But it is usually a mechanically stable fracture that is thankfully unlikely to undergo more changes that could lead to a greater injury.

This spinal fracture is more common in elderly patients, but our lawyers also see crush fractures in motor vehicle accidents. There is no question that the settlement amounts for a crush fracture skew high when the injury is caused by negligence.

Wedge Fractures

A wedge fracture is the most common compression fracture.  It reduces the height of the anterior portion of the vertebral body.  Basically, the upper and lower surfaces just rotate downwards and compress the anterior portion.  The impacted vertebra looks like a wedge, thus the name.

The treatment depends on the scope of the injury. If the reduction in height is modest – between 10-30% – the treatment is bed rest along with hyperextension for about a week.  This is followed by bracing and then physical therapy.  If the height loss is between 30-50%, traction is typically recommended, followed by bracing and then physical therapy.  If the loss of height is over 50%, surgery is often required to provide lasting stability to the victim’s spinal column.

Traverse Process Fractures

A traverse process fracture is a break in the wing-like sides at the back of the vertebra. The transverse process is a bony projection that extends from each side of a vertebra, providing a site for muscle attachment and contributing to the overall stability of the spine.

Traverse process fractures typically result from high-impact trauma, such as a car accident or a falls, usually from a significant height but you also this injury in slip and fall cases. The force of the impact can cause the transverse process to fracture or break, leading to pain, swelling, and limited mobility.  In many car accident claims our lawyers see, the fracture may also be accompanied by damage to the surrounding soft tissues, such as muscles or ligaments.

In some cases, a traverse process fracture may be accompanied by other types of spinal injuries, such as a spinal cord injury or a vertebral body fracture.  Because a crash that can cause that type of fracture can be brutal.  These injuries may require more aggressive treatment, such as surgery or other interventions, to stabilize the spine and prevent further damage.

Defense experts often tell us in their expert reports that a traverse process fracture is a stable injury that does not require either surgical intervention or other invasive intervention. But we have seen many people in car accidents struggle to recover from this injury.

Getting a Vertebrae Fracture Lawyer

Our personal injury attorneys are in Maryland.  Our firm handles these kinds of cases all over the country.  My number is at the top of the page.  You can call me or fill out a contact form.  We will do everything we can to help you and, if you hire us, to maximize the value of your claim.  If you are outside of Maryland, we work with great co-counsel around the court in these cases.  You can find us at 800-553-8082.