2024 JVR SETTLEMENTS REPORT
Settlements reach record highs in both Cook and non-Cook counties
COOK COUNTY
80 %
227
ALL SETTLEMENTS
733 TOTAL REPORTED SETTLEMENTS
REPORTED TRIALS
$ 2.68M AVERAGE SETTLEMENT $ 875K MEDIAN $ 1.96B TOTAL
PLAINTIFF VERDICT
52 %
170 trials
COOK COUNTY
48 %
DEFENSE VERDICT
PLAINTIFF VERDICT
81 %
57 trials
NON-COOK COUNTY
19 %
DEFENSE VERDICT
NON-COOK COUNTY
20 % ALL SETTLEMENTS
187
$ 2.27M
TOTAL REPORTED SETTLEMENTS
AVERAGE SETTLEMENT
$ 750K
$ 233M
MEDIAN
TOTAL
Source: Jury Verdict Reporter
Of the 920 Illinois settlements con- sidered for the 2024 JVR Settlements Report — including those below the $500,000 threshold for inclusion in the report’s rankings of top firms — both the number of cases and total amounts set records for settlements in Cook County and outside Cook. The 2024 report also shows back- to-back record-breaking years for cases outside Cook. The 187 non- Cook settlements totaled more than $425 million, which was 82% high- er than last year’s record of $233 million. Cook cases set records with 733 settlements that totaled $1.96 billion and increased 63% over last year.
The ratio of Cook to non-Cook set- tlements remained relatively constant with Cook cases far exceeding cases in other Illinois counties with 80% of the cases and over 82% of the total settlement amounts. While average settlement amounts increased overall, averages for cases outside of Cook saw the biggest rise. The average settlement amount for cases outside of Cook was $2.27 mil- lion, which was a 78% increase over the 2023 average. Cook settlement aver- ages rose just 2% to $2.68 million. Comparing the 2024 report with pre- pandemic numbers for 2019, the num- ber of reported settlements across the state increased 17%. The largest
increases came in settlements outside of Cook where the total amount rose 70% and the average increased 45%. Cook settlement amounts increased 44% and the average settlement rose 12% over 2019 levels. Reported trials were up over 2023 but remain 30% below pre-pandemic levels of 2019. Of the 227 trials during the 2024 reporting period, 170 were in Cook and of those cases 52% were ver- dicts for the plaintiff and 48% resulted in defense verdicts. Results were dif- ferent outside of Cook where of the 57 trials just 19% resulted in a defense verdict.
juryverdictreporter@lawbulletinmedia.com
66 JURY VERDICT REPORTER • 2024 ANNUAL TRIAL LAWYER EXCELLENCE AWARDS
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