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