From rapper Flo Rida’s $82 million breach of contract case against an energy drink company to a nearly $1 billion sports car liability award against Mitsubishi, juries across the country in 2023 found corporate defendants liable for over $14.5 billion in “nuclear verdicts,” or verdicts that surpass $10 million.

No company is safe. Nearly 50 unique industries faced these cases last year, including chemicals, automobiles, home furnishings, internet services, and electric utilities. In 2023, 89 lawsuits against a corporate defendant resulted in a “nuclear verdict” award, the largest number of such cases Marathon has identified in a single year since 2009. A nuclear verdict can cost companies tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, but the reputational impact of headline-grabbing awards can be catastrophic – underscoring the need for companies in vulnerable industries to have a communications plan ready to respond to cases like these.

Visit our interactive website to explore the cases, sectors, and jurisdictions where these supersized verdicts were awarded.

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