Personal Injury Case Values in District of Columbia (2026)

Personal Injury cases in the District of Columbia show significant variability in outcomes, with a wide range spanning from $100K to $1.5M and a mean outcome of $581K substantially exceeding the median of $144K, suggesting that high-value outlier cases — particularly those involving institutional defendants like WMATA — can dramatically skew average recoveries. The presence of contributory negligence as the governing standard presents a notable hurdle for plaintiffs, as any finding of plaintiff fault can bar recovery entirely, making case selection and liability framing critically important in this jurisdiction. Despite this plaintiff-side risk, D.C.'s generally plaintiff-favorable jury pool and the absence of a non-economic damages cap create meaningful upside potential, particularly in cases involving serious injuries, sympathetic plaintiffs, or well-resourced institutional defendants.