Motor vehicle product liability

Federal civil · Torts · 17,159 cases filed and closed (1988–present).

17,159

Cases filed

90.1%

Ended before a merits judgment

15,468 of 17,159 cases

19.9%

Plaintiff win

of 1,691 merits judgments

70.1%

Defendant win

of merits judgments

Most cases never reach a ruling on the merits. Of 17,159 filed, 90.1% closed without one — settled, dismissed, transferred, or remanded. The win rates above describe only the 1,691 that a judge actually decided.

How they closed

Settled37.6%
Dismissed35.3%
Transferred8.3%
Defendant win6.9%
Remanded6.8%
Other2.1%
Plaintiff win2%
Decided — other0.6%
Mixed0.4%
Affirmed0%
Denied0%

Where you file matters

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

Read the law behind motor vehicle 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.