Airplane product liability

Federal civil · Torts · 4,251 cases filed and closed (1988–present).

4,251

Cases filed

89.1%

Ended before a merits judgment

3,788 of 4,251 cases

15.8%

Plaintiff win

of 463 merits judgments

74.5%

Defendant win

of merits judgments

Most cases never reach a ruling on the merits. Of 4,251 filed, 89.1% closed without one — settled, dismissed, transferred, or remanded. The win rates above describe only the 463 that a judge actually decided.

How they closed

Dismissed34.8%
Settled28.9%
Transferred14.3%
Defendant win8.1%
Remanded6.1%
Other4.9%
Plaintiff win1.7%
Decided — other0.6%
Mixed0.5%

Where you file matters

The same claim resolves differently across districts. Plaintiff-win rate among merits judgments, busiest courts first.

Read the law behind airplane product liability

Source: FJC Integrated Database (public domain), via CourtListener — federal civil cases filed and terminated, 1988–present. Figures are descriptive statistics about how cases of a given type have closed in a given court. They describe the historical record — not a prediction or assessment of any specific case. Not legal advice.