Out of 20 jury verdict research cases from across the State of Florida (Fig. 1), statistical analyses show that the average case value of an above-the-elbow arm amputation case from the sample is $1,160,178.83. However, the sample also showed specific case values ranging from $0, or a defense verdict, to over $125 million dollars.
Figure 1. The breakdown of the geographic regions in the sample.
Normally when we write a blog about the average case value of an injury, we start by giving you the average case value including outliers and defense verdicts. However, we saw an unusually high outlier of $125,820,044, making the average case value, if we include defense verdicts and outliers, $8,516,305.85. An outlier is a visibly high value that is out of trend with the rest of the data in the sample. Outliers often draw attention to themselves so a researcher can find out the specifics behind why a case was given such a high value. Outliers can also skew the average of a set to be unrepresentatively high, as is enormously clear in this sample. The average of $8,516,305.85 is exceptionally high for the actual values seen in most of the sample. It is more representative of the sample to say that the average case value of an above-elbow arm amputation case, based on the 20 cases in the sample, is the average that excludes defense verdicts and outliers: $1,160,178.83.
The $125-million-dollar outlier isn’t the only outlier we saw in this sample, either. In total, the 20-case sample had 6 outliers: $4 million, $5.2 million, $5,227,708, $8 million, $8,156,219, and the highest outlier of $125,820,044. Each of these outliers is above the trend of data seen in most of the above-elbow amputation cases, leading them to skew the average, but also be a point of intense study when determining the value of a client’s case. Clearly, outliers are a vital point of research in statistics, especially jury verdict research statistics, when devising averages for a data set.
As shown in Figure 1, we divided the sample into smaller groups based on the geographic region in which the case took place. The Orlando region is made up of cases in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties and the Rest-of-State region is made up of all other counties seen in the sample, specifically excluding the Orlando region and United States District Court region. The final category is that of the United States District Court (USDC). These cases, though they took place in a county, are not litigated in that county’s court but in a higher court called the “District Court” of whichever region the case took place in. These districts are broken up into the Southern District, Middle District, and Northern District correlating to if the case took place in southern Florida, central Florida, or northern Florida.
In both the Orlando and USDC regions, we saw 1 case per region. Both of those cases ended in defendant-favored verdicts where the plaintiff received no compensation. In the other 18 cases in the Rest-of-State region, we saw an average case value, excluding defense verdicts and outliers, of $1,160,178.83 and an average case value of $9,462,562.06 including defense verdicts and outliers. In total, above-the-elbow arm amputations grossed $170,326,117.
It is important to note, however, that because the sample size was so small, it is difficult to say with certainty that these values will accurately project to a full population of interest. Please use them as a guide to evaluate your case, but be aware that sample size may affect outcomes.
To find out more about the outliers in this sample, see our blog entitled “Above-elbow Amputation Outliers: Why are some Above-elbow amputation cases worth more than others?”
If you’re a potential client or an attorney seeking a second opinion and would like to discuss the value of your case, please feel free to call us anytime at (850)224-3310.
