On this page, we will look at the average settlement payout amount for ankle injuries in accident lawsuits. Injuries to the ankle injury ankle sprains, ankle fractures, dislocations, and ligament tears. Ankle injuries are most often seen in auto accident cases and slip and fall or premises liability cases.
Average Settlement Value for Ankle Injury
The average settlement payout for ankle injuries in accident cases is approximately $18,000 to $75,000. As discussed below, where a particular case falls on this value range depends largely on the severity of the injury. Minor ankle injuries like sprains are going to be at the low end of the settlement value range, whereas more serious injuries such as fractures or dislocations will be at the higher end. Also, keep in mind that these are settlement values. The average verdict award for ankle injuries is much higher.
The median verdict award for ankle injuries in the mid-Atlantic area is around $68,000. This is the median, not the average. The average is going to be significantly higher.
My comment? People rarely have minor ankle injuries in car accidents in my experience. So I think a lot of slip and fall ankle injuries are included here, which lowers the value from pure auto accident ankle injury claims (or malpractice claims which are rare for ankle injuries).
I don’t think we have ever had an ankle injury case for a settlement amount of less than $150,000 and I can think of one that settled for over $1,000,000 (although that case had other complicated injuries, so it is hard to sort out where the settlement value was in the case).
Type of Ankle Injury Lawsuits We See
There are several types of ankle injuries that our lawyers see in our practice:
- Fractured Ankle: An ankle fracture can occur in any of the bones that make up the ankle joint, including the tibia, fibula, and talus. These fractures can result from a traumatic event, such as a fall or car accident. These are severe injuries with high settlements and jury payouts if insurance coverage is available.
- Sprained Ankle: An ankle sprain occurs when the ligaments that support the ankle are stretched or torn. This can happen when the ankle is twisted unnaturally or when the joint has a sudden impact. We see these usually as secondary injuries in premises liability lawsuits.
- Dislocated Ankle: A dislocated ankle occurs when the bones that make up the ankle joint are forced out of alignment. This can be a severe injury and often requires surgical intervention. Our attorneys see higher settlement payouts for dislocated ankle injuries than any other type of ankle injury.
- Torn Tendons or Ligaments: The ankle is held in place by several tendons and ligaments, including the anterior talofibular ligament, the calcaneofibular ligament, and the posterior talofibular ligament. If any of these structures are torn, it can lead to instability in the ankle joint.
- Ankle Arthritis: Arthritis is a condition that results from the wear and tear of the joint. In the ankle, this can lead to pain, swelling, and limited mobility.
What Impacts the Settlement Value of Ankle Injuries
The potential settlement payout value of an ankle injury is determined by a number of different factors. The most significant factor that tends to drive the settlement value of an ankle injury, however, is the type and severity of the ankle injury. Cases involving more serious ankle injuries will have the highest settlement values because they involve more medical expenses and more pain and suffering.
The most serious types of ankle injuries are usually going to be ankle fractures and ankle dislocations. Injuries involving torn ligaments in the ankle can also be very serious, but these are much less common.
Ankle sprains are much less serious injuries. There are some ankle sprains that can be very painful, but ankle sprains generally do not require medical treatment and heal fairly quickly. As a result, ankle sprains are always going to be at the lower end of the settlement value spectrum.
Ankle Injury Verdicts and Settlements
Ankle injury compensation in settlements and verdicts vary greatly because these five injuries we are talking about are very different. So your payout will depend on many factors, including the severity of the injury, the cause of the injury, the jurisdiction in which the case is litigated, and the specific circumstances of each case that you won’t see in these example settlements and verdicts. Will these give you the settlement amount your case should fetch? Of course not. but they are instructive in understanding settlement and jury award ranges in these claims, and that does help you better understand the value of your claim.
- 2024, New York: $90,000 Settlement. A 9-year-old was crossing the street at an intersection when he was struck by the defendant’s vehicle. He suffered a fractured right ankle, fractured a bone in his foot, and fractured a tooth as a result of the accident. The fractured ankle was clearly the most significant of the injuries.
- 2024, Alabama: $20,000 Settlement. The plaintiff was dropping her kids off at school and was stopped in the drop-off line in front of the school when the defendant rear-ended her. Her only alleged injury was a sprained ankle, which she claimed caused her to suffer PTSD.
- 2022, Texas: $30,000 Verdict. A woman was struck at an intersection. She suffered right ankle and foot fractures. The woman underwent two repair procedures. Her physician recommended an ankle fusion. The woman alleged negligence against the at-fault driver. She claimed he failed to yield the right-of-way. The jury awarded $30,000. We start with this example to underscore how these verdicts do not always make sense back on the nutshell summary. You would expect at least a $500,000 verdict on less severe injuries than this. We tried a case with less serious injuries than we have here. The jury awarded $537,000. We walked out of the courthouse feeling like we lost.
- 2022, Alabama: $200,000 Verdict. A woman drove along a highway. Her daughter rode with her. They were rear-ended. The woman sustained a concussion. She also suffered rotator cuff, labral tears, and pain in her ankles, neck, back, and shoulder. Her daughter injured her neck and back. The woman alleged negligence against the at-fault driver. She claimed he failed to slow down.
- 2022, Washington: $1,500,000 Verdict. A 60-something man attempted to take out his trash. His neighbor struck him. The man fractured his ankle, tibia, and fibula. He made a UIM claim against State Farm. The jury awarded him $1,500,000
- 2022, Kentucky: $14,894 Verdict. A woman was struck head-on. She suffered multiple injuries, including ankle and rib fractures and a fibula tendon tear. The woman alleged negligence against the at-fault driver. She claimed he drove inattentively and failed to watch the road. The jury awarded the woman $14,894.
- 2022, Washington: $441,090 Verdict. A 40-something man was struck at a crosswalk while bike riding. He suffered a shoulder tear, an ankle injury, and a concussion. The man underwent a shoulder repair and an ankle arthroscopy. He alleged negligence against the at-fault driver. The man claimed he failed to yield to a cyclist and watch the road. A jury awarded $441,090.
- 2021, New York: $8,000,000 Verdict. A 30-something tripped and fell on the icy sidewalk outside of her apartment. She suffered multiple left ankle tears. The woman sustained complex regional pain syndrome on her left foot. The woman underwent physical therapy and painkilling injections. Her pain became permanent. The woman found it difficult to perform her favorite activities, including yoga and running. She now required a neurostimulator. The woman alleged negligence against the premises’ manager. She claimed he failed to remove ice and create a safe path for pedestrians. The jury awarded $8,000,000.
- 2021, Kentucky: $74,119 Verdict. A 50-something man was rear-ended at a red light. He suffered an ankle tear, an ankle tendon fracture, and a meniscal injury. The man underwent ankle and meniscal repairs. He alleged negligence against the at-fault driver. The man claimed he failed to avoid the collision. A jury awarded $74,119.
Hiring a Lawyer for Your Ankle Injury Claim
Our law firm has a lot of experience handling ankle injury claims. Our lawyers have recovered millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for these injuries. So we handle serious injury and ankle injury claims around the country.
How does that work? We work with attorneys in your area with our firm and the local law firm working for you to maximize your compensation. We compensate your local lawyers out of our attorneys’ fees. So pay no additional contingency fee for having two law firms fighting for you instead of one. And you only owe a fee if you get settlement compensation or a jury payout for you.
If you were hurt and believe you have a potential civil tort claim, click here for a free no-obligation consultation or call us today at 800-553-8082.