Medical malpractice verdicts topping $10 million — often dubbed “nuclear” awards — are becoming more common as juries hand down eye-popping damages for catastrophic injuries and wrongful deaths.
Physician groups, including the American Medical Association, have warned that the post-COVID-19 pandemic erosion of trust in healthcare, growing system consolidation and corporate ownership structures, and shifting jury expectations around accountability are all contributing to larger payouts and fewer “middle-ground” outcomes.
Here are 22 of the largest malpractice megaverdicts and settlements reported in 2025, compiled from a blog post by legal services company Expert Institute:
Utah: $951 million verdict in delayed C-section birth injury case
A judge issued a $951 million default verdict against Steward Health Care over a 2019 birth injury at Jordan Valley Medical Center–West Valley Campus in West Valley City. The lawsuit alleged excessive Pitocin administration and failure to respond to fetal distress, resulting in a hypoxic ischemic brain injury requiring lifelong care. The judgment followed Steward’s failure to participate in the case after its legal team withdrew, and the company has since filed for bankruptcy.
Florida: $70.8 million verdict in missed stroke diagnosis after ER discharge
A Hillsborough County jury awarded $70.8 million to Chiaka Stewart after clinicians at Tampa General Hospital’s Brandon emergency center, a freestanding ER in Tampa, allegedly discharged her without appropriate imaging or neurology consult; she suffered a severe stroke within 30 hours and was later diagnosed with CVST.
Georgia: $70 million verdict in vasopressin overdose case ending in double amputation
A jury awarded $70 million to Jessica Powell, who alleged three Albany physicians and their practices administered an excessive vasopressin dose and mishandled her care during a sepsis/shock admission, leading to bilateral above-the-knee amputations.
New York: $60 million verdict in epidural malpractice case resulting in paraplegia
A Nassau County jury awarded more than $60 million to David Gangaram after a 2019 epidural steroid injection at the Pain Institute of Long Island allegedly caused a spinal cord infarction, leaving him permanently paraplegic.
Missouri: $48.1 million verdict in prolonged labor birth injury case
A St. Louis County jury awarded $48.1 million after clinicians at Mercy Hospital and Mercy Clinic allegedly delayed a C-section despite fetal distress, resulting in severe birth-related brain injury and cerebral palsy.
Georgia: $48 million verdict in delayed diagnosis/treatment of recurrent skin cancer
A Fulton County jury awarded $48 million after a dermatologist and Dermatology Associates of Atlanta allegedly failed to appropriately diagnose and follow up on high-risk recurrent skin cancer, leading to extensive surgery and permanent facial paralysis, hearing loss and disfigurement.
Florida $45 million verdict in delayed heart-attack transfer case
A jury awarded $45 million after Orlando Health’s South Seminole Hospital in Longwood allegedly admitted a patient who needed urgent cath capability and then transferred him with delays. He died shortly after arriving at Orlando Regional Medical Center in Orlando.
New York: $40.3 million verdict in stroke mismanagement case
A Nassau County jury awarded $40.3 million after St. Joseph Hospital in Bethpage and Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip allegedly failed to provide timely stroke care, including disputes over the tPA window and thrombectomy eligibility.
Georgia: $40 million verdict upheld in ER stroke case
The Georgia Court of Appeals upheld a record-setting malpractice verdict tied to care at North Fulton Hospital in Roswell, where the plaintiff alleged catastrophic harm following failures to escalate care and obtain appropriate neuro consultation.
Wisconsin: $29 million birth-injury verdict against nurse midwife
A St. Croix County jury awarded $29 million after a nurse midwife allegedly failed to act on fetal heart rate decelerations, resulting in cerebral palsy.
Georgia: $25 million verdict in stillbirth case over missed preeclampsia diagnosis
A Bibb County State Court jury awarded $25 million after two OB-GYNs allegedly failed to diagnose/manage severe preeclampsia, leading to stillbirth.
Maine: $25 million verdict in preventable death of 15-year-old after misdiagnosis
A Cumberland County jury awarded $25 million after a teen was allegedly misdiagnosed and later transferred to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where she died following rapid deterioration from an undiagnosed life-threatening condition.
Oregon: $20.6 million verdict in career-ending surgery case
A jury awarded $20.6 million after a surgery at Oregon Outpatient Surgery Center in Tigard allegedly involved improperly sterilized implants, leading to deep infection and ending Jake Gleeson’s career.
Minnesota: $19.8 million verdict in Mayo Clinic surgical malpractice case
An Olmsted County jury awarded nearly $20 million tied to care at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, where a patient alleged negligent colorectal surgery and follow-up contributed to lasting complications.
Illinois: $18 million settlement in delayed C-section birth injury case
A Chicago-area hospital reached an $18 million settlement just before closing arguments in a delayed C-section case involving HIE and cerebral palsy.
New Jersey: $17 million settlement in delayed C-section birth injury case
A $17 million settlement resolved claims that delayed C-section care at Hackensack University Medical Center contributed to severe birth injury in a high-risk pregnancy.
Massachusetts: $17 million verdict in case over fatal hernia surgery
A jury awarded $17 million after a woman died following elective hernia surgery and alleged failures in post-op evaluation and follow-up contributed to septic shock.
New Mexico: $16.75 million verdict in retained surgical instrument case
A jury awarded $16.75 million after a 13-inch metal retractor was left inside a patient during surgery at Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque, requiring a second operation and causing prolonged harm.
South Carolina: $16 million verdict in infant death case over delayed C-section
A Spartanburg County jury awarded $16 million after clinicians allegedly delayed an emergency C-section despite signs of fetal distress, resulting in fatal injury.
Georgia: $15.5M verdict ending in quadriplegia
A jury awarded $15.5 million after a spinal CT was allegedly misread as normal, leading to removal of a neck brace and catastrophic neurologic decline.
Georgia: $13.7 million verdict in anesthesia error leading to death
A Bibb County jury awarded $13.75 million after alleged anesthesia overdosing and delayed recognition of respiratory failure resulted in fatal hypoxic brain injury.
Wisconsin: $10.2 million verdict in birth injury case
A Racine County jury awarded more than $10.2 million after care at Ascension All Saints Hospital in Racine allegedly involved excessive Pitocin and oxygen deprivation, resulting in cerebral palsy.
