Day on Torts
Two previous posts discussed Tennessee tort and health care case filings and the damages awarded in Tennessee personal injury and medical malpractice cases for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018. This post will explore trial and damages data from the largest counties in Tennessee.
- Shelby County saw 66 tort trials (33 jury, 33 nonjury) and 5 (3 jury, 2 nonjury) health care liability trials. Damages were awarded in 36 tort trials and none of the HCLA trials. The total damages awarded in tort trials was $7,228,488. There were 8 verdicts in tort trials over $100,000, one of which was over $1,000,000.
- Davidson County conducted 52 tort trials (21 jury, 31 nonjury) and 4 (4 jury, 0 nonjury) health care liability trials. Damages were awarded in 36 tort trials and in 2 of the HCLA trials. The total damages awarded in tort trials was $2,509,836. There were 5 verdicts in tort trials over $100,000, one of which was over $1,000,000. The total damages awarded in HCLA trials was $968,578.
- Knox County hosted 37 tort trials (19 jury, 18 nonjury) and 1 (1 jury, 0 nonjury) health care liability trials. Damages were awarded in 14 tort trials and were not awarded in the HCLA trial. The total damages awarded in tort trials was $896,867. There was 1 verdict in a tort trial over $100,000; it was less than $1,000,000. There was no money awarded in the HCLA trial.
- Hamilton County saw 32 tort trials (15 jury, 17 nonjury) and 1 (0 jury, 1 nonjury) health care liability trials. Damages were awarded in 11 tort trials and were not awarded in the HCLA trial. The total damages awarded in tort trials was $698,990. There was 1 verdict in a tort trial over $100,000; it was less than $1,000,000. There was no money awarded in the HCLA trial.
- Rutherford County hosted 11 tort trials (0 jury, 11 nonjury) and 2 (1 jury, 1 nonjury) health care liability trials. No damages were awarded in any of the tort cases or the HCLA trial.
- Williamson County conducted 5 tort trials (3 jury, 2 nonjury) and no health care liability trials. Damages were awarded in 4 tort trials. The total damages awarded in 4 tort trials was $247,407. There was 1 verdict in a tort trial over $100,000.
- Montgomery County saw 13 tort trials (2 jury, 11 nonjury) and no health care liability trials. Damages were awarded in none of the tort trials.
- Sumner County conducted 21 tort trials (5 jury, 16 nonjury) and 1 (1 jury, 0 nonjury) health care liability trial. Damages were awarded in 1 tort trial and were not awarded in the HCLA trial. The damages awarded in the tort trial was $430,778.
- Sullivan County hosted 1 tort trial (0 jury, 1 nonjury) and 1 (1 jury, 0 nonjury) health care liability trial. No damages were awarded in either trial.
- Wilson County saw 9 tort trials (4 jury, 5 nonjury) and no health care liability trials. Damages were awarded in none of the tort trials.
These ten counties accounted for 102 of the 130 tort cases tried to a jury in fiscal 2017-18.
Which other counties had jury trials in tort cases? Washington (1); Greene (1); Hawkins (1); Sevier (3); Blount (2); Anderson (2); Roane (1); Monroe (2); Bledsoe (1); Rhea (1); DeKalb (1); White (2); Coffee (2); Moore (1); Robertson (1); Maury (1); Tipton (3); and Madison (2).
Thus, 130 jury trials in tort cases were held in 28 counties. That leaves 67 counties without a single jury trial in a tort case.
The 13 HCLA jury trials were in a handful of counties: Sullivan (1); Knox (1); Rutherford (1); Sumner (1); Davidson (4); Madison (1); Dyer (1); and Shelby (3). A total of 87 Tennessee counties did not have a single HCLA jury trial.