2025 Personal Injury Law Statistics: What the Data Reveals

In 2023 alone, 62 million Americans sought medical attention for preventable injuries. Behind this staggering statistic are real people facing mounting medical expenses, lost income, and lengthy waits for justice. As a personal injury attorney, you’re driven by these human stories. When you pair this compassion with concrete data, you create a more effective practice that stands out in today’s competitive market.

This guide breaks down the most important personal injury statistics for 2025, going beyond the numbers to show you how these trends can improve your strategic decisions, help you set realistic client expectations, and ultimately deliver better results.

General personal injury statistics

To understand the true impact of preventable injuries across the United States, consider these revealing statistics. The numbers below paint a clear picture of both the human toll and economic burden that injuries create nationwide:

• 62 million people—about one in five—sought medical attention for an injury in 2023 (National Safety Council).
• 222,698 preventable deaths occurred in 2023 (National Safety Council).
• 25.5 million emergency department visits for unintentional injuries were recorded in 2021 (National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey).
• Unintentional injuries now rank as the third leading cause of death in the US, behind only heart disease and cancer (National Center for Health Statistics).
• The total cost of unintentional injuries to society in the US is $1,283.5 billion (National Safety Council).
• Three causes—poisoning, falls, and motor vehicle accidents—accounted for 86% of all preventable deaths in 2023 (National Safety Council).

Historical trends in personal injury

Looking at how injury patterns have changed over time provides helpful background for today’s cases. Data from the National Safety Council shows that 1973 to 1992 was something of a golden age for injury prevention, when preventable deaths dropped by one third. Better car safety features played a significant role, reducing vehicle-related deaths by 35%.

Today’s situation, however, looks quite different. Since that low point, preventable deaths have increased by 157%—a much steeper rise compared to the 96% increase in overall death rates during the same period. Three main factors likely contribute to this troubling trend:

• The devastating impact of the opioid crisis on poisoning deaths.
• An aging population experiencing more frequent and severe falls.
• A concerning plateau in vehicle safety improvements.

For personal injury attorneys, these trends highlight important areas where specialized knowledge will be increasingly valuable. Law firms that develop expertise in areas like opioid litigation, nursing home negligence, and emerging vehicle technologies will be well-positioned to help clients affected by these issues.

Personal injury statistics by category

Across the United States, some categories consistently rank as the most prevalent and costly to both individuals and healthcare systems. Let’s examine personal injury occurrence rates by category:

Motor vehicle accidents

• Over 6,500 people are injured in motor vehicle accidents every day (Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety).
• Medically consulted injuries in motor-vehicle incidents totaled 5.2 million in 2022 (National Safety Council).
• An estimated 29,135 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes for the first nine months of 2024 (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).
• The annual economic cost for fatal crashes in the US is estimated to be $417 billion (Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety).
• Distracted driving was reported to contribute to 3,308 fatalities during 2022 (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).
• 289,310 people were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes involving distracted drivers in 2022 (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).

Workplace injuries

• 5,283 fatal work injuries occurred in the US in 2023 (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
• A worker died every 99 minutes from a work-related injury in 2023 (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
• Private industry employers reported 2.6 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2023 (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
• The total cost of work injuries in 2022 was $167 billion (National Safety Council).
• US businesses spend more than $1 billion per week on workplace injuries (Liberty Mutual Insurance).

Medical malpractice

• More than 250,000 people in the US die every year from medical errors (Johns Hopkins University).
• One in every ten patients is harmed in health care (World Health Organization).
• Medication-related harm affects one in every thirty patients in health care (World Health Organization).
• 795,000 Americans suffer serious harms from diagnostic error each year, with missed stroke being the number one cause (Johns Hopkins Medicine).
• Nearly one in four hospital patients who died or were transferred to intensive care had experienced a diagnostic error (JAMA Internal Medicine).
• Between 1992 and 2014, the rate of malpractice claims paid on behalf of physicians in the United States declined substantially (National Center for Biotechnology Information).

Slip and fall accidents

• More than one in four older people falls each year, but less than half tell their doctor (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

• Falls are the leading cause of injury for adults aged 65 years or older (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

• Each year, there are about 3 million emergency department visits due to falls among older adults (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

Filing rates and success rates for personal injury claims

Personal injury ranks among the top three legal needs for consumers in the US and Canada. Yet despite this high demand, only a small percentage of injured people actually file claims—creating an untapped market of potential clients deserving compensation. This disconnect between need and action presents both strategic challenges and growth opportunities for proactive attorneys.

Filing statistics:

• Nearly 400,000 personal injury claims are filed annually across the United States, predominantly in state courts (U.S. Department of Justice).
• Personal injury and product liability filings surged 78% for the year ending March 31, 2024 (United States Courts).
• About 17,000 medical malpractice cases are filed each year in the US (Science Direct).
• About 95% of personal injury lawsuits end in a pre-trial settlement (The Law Dictionary).
• One in twenty personal injury cases is resolved in a court of law by a judge or jury (The Law Dictionary).
• Nearly one-third (31.2%) of US physicians report they had previously been sued (American Medical Association).

Success rates:

• Over 90% of personal injury cases that go to trial end in victory for the individual who brought the suit (The Law Dictionary).
• Two-thirds of civil liability claims are dropped, dismissed, or withdrawn without a finding of fault when physicians are sued (American Medical Association).
• Defendants prevail in nearly 9 out 10 medical liability cases when claims proceed to trial and are decided by a verdict (American Medical Association).

So, what does this data mean for you? As the data clearly shows that most cases are resolved through settlements, it underscores the critical importance of strong negotiation and settlement skills for personal injury lawyers.

The ability to accurately value a claim, anticipate defense strategies, and effectively advocate for  your client can significantly impact settlement outcomes—and your firm’s bottom line. Attorneys who are skilled in these areas often achieve better results for their clients.

Compensation in personal injury lawsuits

Many people who file personal injury claims receive compensation. However, settlement agreements aren’t publicly accessible and often contain confidentiality provisions. Because of this, it’s difficult to share personal injury law statistics on settlement amounts.

That said, some studies provide valuable insights:

• An independent study found that most readers with a personal injury claim received a payout (NOLO).
• About two-thirds of all readers received compensation through a settlement. Only a small percentage (4%) saw their case go to trial (NOLO).

• The average payout among surveyed plaintiffs was $52,900 (NOLO).
• Plaintiffs in federal court received an average of $75,000 in damages (NOLO).

• In 2022, the average auto liability claim for property damage was $6,551, while the average auto liability claim for bodily injury was $26,501 (Insurance Information Institute).

Market dynamics of personal injury law firms

Industry revenue for personal injury lawyers and attorneys in the US was $57.3 billion in 2024 (IBIS World).  This large market experiences strong competition at every level—from national firms to regional practices and local specialists—making it important for personal injury firms to find ways to stand out.

Digital advertising has transformed client acquisition, creating a more level playing field where firms of all sizes can effectively reach potential clients online. Traditional marketing channels like billboards and television—once dominated by high-budget firms—now compete with sophisticated digital marketing ecosystems.

Meanwhile, client expectations have changed amidst this increasing competition. Today’s clients expect law firms to provide the same seamless experience they receive from other businesses—quick responses, convenient communication options, and transparent updates on case progress. Clio’s case management software enables law firms to meet these elevated expectations through client portals, automated updates, and integrated communication tools that deliver the modern, responsive experience clients have come to demand.

Firms that successfully adapt to these heightened expectations consistently outperform their competitors in both client acquisition and retention. In fact, Clio’s latest Legal Trends Report found that firms using technology like online schedulers, online search ads, and online intake forms to enhance client experiences achieve 51% more client leads and 52% more revenue.

Technological and data-driven trends

New technology is revolutionizing how personal injury lawyers build and win cases. Far beyond convenience, technological advances have transformed how evidence is collected, cases are built, and arguments are presented.

The explosion of digital evidence has fundamentally changed case building. Security cameras capture accident dynamics in real time, while drones provide comprehensive aerial views of accident scenes. Advanced reconstruction software creates detailed simulations of collisions. Electronic medical records establish clear links between accidents and injuries while also revealing pre-existing conditions. Even social media activity can demonstrate how injuries impact a client’s daily life.

Artificial intelligence has also become essential for forward-thinking firms. In fact, our Legal Trends Report reveals that 79% of legal professionals now incorporate AI tools into their daily work. Equally important, we found that nearly half of clients would prefer to work with law firms that use AI—suggesting that they see AI as a means of offering better legal services than firms not using AI.

For personal injury attorneys, AI-powered solutions like Clio Duo deliver significant advantages—summarizing information on cases, analyzing vast amounts of data, and increasing overall productivity.

Final thoughts on personal injury law statistics

Understanding personal injury statistics helps you better serve clients while strategically growing your practice. By staying informed about these trends, you can anticipate client needs, develop specialized expertise in emerging areas, and achieve better outcomes for the people who rely on you.

Remember that behind every statistic is a client seeking justice after a life-altering event. The most successful personal injury attorneys combine data-driven strategies with genuine compassion—providing both the analytical expertise and empathetic advocacy their clients need.

We published this blog post in April 2025. Last updated: April 2, 2025.

Categorized in: Uncategorized