Nuclear verdicts against corporate defendants reached a record high in 2024, led by cases involving products liability and intellectual property, according to a new report from research firm Marathon Strategies.
The number of nuclear verdicts—those that surpass $10 million—rose to 135 in 2024, a 52% increase over 2023. The total sum of these verdicts was $31.3 billion, a 116% jump over the prior year.
“Thermonuclear verdicts” of $100 million or more increased to 49 last year, with five of those cases resulting in verdicts greater than $1 billion.
The report, “Corporate Verdicts Go Thermonuclear 2025