Gary Samms Discusses Philadelphia’s Record-Breaking High-Dollar Verdicts in The Legal Intelligencer

Gary Samms, who chairs both, Obermayer’s Professional Liability Practice Group and the Catastrophic Loss Group, was quoted on July 16, 2024, in The Legal Intelligencer. The article, titled “Philadelphia on Track for Record Year of High-Dollar Verdicts,” discusses how the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas is experiencing a potentially record-breaking year for large verdicts.

By mid-2024, Philadelphia had nearly as many eight-plus-figure civil jury verdicts as it did in the entire year of 2023, which was already notable for its high number of awards exceeding $10 million. This trend suggests that verdicts have increased in recent years, with the first half of 2024 showing a particularly significant spike.

Theories about the rise in high-dollar verdicts vary. According to Gary Samms, much of the change lies in shifting juror attitudes.

“I don’t know if it’s related to post-pandemic issues, but [jurors] seem to be much more unaware of the actual costs that are incurred in a life care plan and/or in lost wage claims,” Samms explained.

He added that jurors’ lack of perspective is exacerbated by plaintiffs presenting unrealistically high estimates of economic damages. Additionally, plaintiffs’ lawyers are increasingly encouraging jurors to send a message to defendants with their decisions.

“People are no longer looking at damages in civil suits to be compensatory in nature,” Samms said. “It seems they are adding from an economic standpoint a punitive aspect to cases whether punitives are involved or not.”

Read the full article here.