TBI Settlement Amounts: What Can You Expect?

TBI settlement amounts vary, depending on the seriousness of the damages. A TBI (traumatic brain injury) can be life changing, and if you or your loved one suffers a TBI from the misconduct of another, a settlement may be in order.

The amount of money you can expect from a TBI settlement is greatly affected by the nature of the injuries. If you have severe injuries that will last for the rest of your life, you may get a settlement or verdict worth millions of dollars.

This guide discusses TBI settlement amounts by discussing the underlying facts and settlement amounts of various TBI lawsuits. If you suffered a TBI from the wrongdoing of another in New York City, contact Cody Warner, P.C. for a consultation. We can go over your case and discuss your options for justice.

$12,500,000 TBI Lawsuit Settlement

On September 12, 2021, Jonaven Perkins-Sinapati was driving with four passengers in Honolulu, Hawaii, when a police cruiser began to chase his vehicle. The police vehicle, which had not activated any sirens or lights, began to ram into the back of Sinapati’s vehicle. After repeated ramming, Sinapati’s vehicle crashed into a ditch, resulting in multiple injuries to the passengers and a traumatic brain injury to Sinapati.

After Sinapati was transferred to a local hospital, he suffered a six-week coma as a result of his brain injury. Sinapati’s family later filed a lawsuit against the Honolulu Police Department for police brutality. On March 25, 2024, Sinapati received a $12,500,000 settlement from the Honolulu City Council.

$3,900,000 TBI Lawsuit Settlement

In October 2019, Sorrel Shiflett was walking to his friend’s house in San Leandro, California. Meanwhile, Officers Ismael Navarro and Anthony Pantoja were responding to a report of “suspicious men” in the area. Shiflett was then stopped by Navarro and Pantoja, causing him to panic. Shiflett, who has a cognitive disability, was unsure how to interact with the police officers. In a panic, Shiflett attempted to run away to find his father, as he felt unable to handle the situation himself. Navarro and Pantoja then pursued Shiflett and began to violently beat him with their batons. Navarro then deployed his taser, causing Shiflett to fall and hit his head, which aggravated a pre-existing brain injury.

After the assault, the officers transported Shiflett to a nearby hospital, where he was found to have a traumatic brain injury and subsequently suffered multiple strokes. Shiflett later filed a lawsuit against the city of San Leandro and Officers Pantoja and Navarro for claims including police brutality and false arrest. In 2024, he received a $3,900,000 settlement from the city of San Leandro.

$3,400,00 TBI Lawsuit Settlement

In June 2020, Sarah Tuning was attending a protest in Walnut Creek, California. Tuning was providing medical assistance to protestors, as officers were using violent methods to disperse the crowd. While assisting others, Tuning was struck in the head by rubber bullets fired by officers. Tuning suffered a traumatic brain injury because of the rubber bullets, and subsequently filed a lawsuit against the Walnut Creek Police Department. In April 2023, she received a $3,400,000 settlement from the city of Walnut Creek.

$3,250,000 TBI Lawsuit Settlement

On November 13, 2019, Martina Standley was calling for help outside a Beauty Connection store in Chicago, Illinois. Nearby, Officer Brian Greene was sitting in his SUV, observing Standley as she sought assistance. Standley, who was experiencing a mental health crisis, approached the passenger side of Greene’s SUV and began banging on the window. In response, Greene swerved his vehicle into Standley, knocking her onto the pavement. Standley was left lying on the ground, with pools of blood emerging from her head and legs.

She was pinned under the vehicle for eight minutes before paramedics arrived and transported her to a local hospital. Standley died on January 30, 2022, with her death attributed to traumatic brain injuries sustained in the incident. After her death, Standley’s family filed a lawsuit against Greene and the city of Chicago. In 2024, the family received a $3,250,000 settlement from the city.

$1,250,00 TBI Lawsuit Settlement

On May 27, 2000, Larry Hendrick was at a Memorial Day party in Newport News, Virginia, when he got into a fight with his girlfriend. Hendrick, who was heavily intoxicated, was asked to leave the party and subsequently fell to the ground and passed out. Police and paramedics soon arrived to assist Hendrick, who was now fully conscious. Upon arrival, multiple officers handcuffed Hendrick and threw him to the ground.

After being transferred to the hospital, Hendrick was determined to have suffered a traumatic brain injury from the incident. His mother later filed a lawsuit against the officers involved, citing the injury as well as their unnecessary force. Hendrick later received a $1,250,000 settlement from the city of Newport News.

$650,000 TBI Lawsuit Settlement

On July 26, 2021, Clarence Gailyard was stopped by police in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Officer David Lance Dukes, who stopped Gailyard, responded to a phone call reporting a man with a gun in the area. Believing Gailyard to be the suspect, Dukes ordered him to get on the ground. Gailyard, who had metal rods in his legs from previous injuries, struggled to follow Duke’s orders.

When Gailyard struggled to comply, Dukes kicked him, causing Gailyard’s head to hit the ground. Gailyard sustained a traumatic brain injury from the incident and later filed a lawsuit against the officer. He received a $650,000 settlement from the city of Orangeburg.

$615,000 TBI Lawsuit Settlement

In August 2014, Jon McDonald and his girlfriend were arguing in their hotel room in Dallas, Texas. Claiming that McDonald had assaulted her, his girlfriend called law enforcement to have him removed. Officers Manual Ortiz and Michael Irwin responded to the call and attempted to remove McDonald from the room. In their efforts to subdue McDonald, Ortiz and Irwin handcuffed him and then simultaneously and repeatedly punched him in the face.

McDonald, who had sustained numerous skull fractures and permanent brain damage from a car accident in his teenage years, had his existing injuries exacerbated by the officers’ excessive use of force. McDonald was subsequently left with a traumatic brain injury from the accident. Following the incident, McDonald filed a lawsuit against the officers. On August 22, 2018, McDonald received a $615,000 settlement from the Dallas City Council.

$500,000 TBI Lawsuit Settlement

On January 9, 2017, Hector Arreola called the police to check on his mother at her home in Columbus, Georgia. After driving to his mother’s house an hour later and noticing that the police had not yet arrived, Arreola, feeling paranoid, knocked on his neighbor’s door for assistance. When law enforcement finally arrived, they mistook Arreola for the suspect related to the call. The officers proceeded to handcuff and restrain Arreola, pinning him to the ground. Unable to breathe, Arreola lost consciousness and was taken to a local hospital.

The next day, he was pronounced dead, with the cause of death determined to be cardiac arrest. This cardiac arrest was attributed to a traumatic brain injury sustained when the officers pinned him to the ground. Shortly after his death, Arreola’s family filed a lawsuit against the officers for excessive force and wrongful death. Before the trial, Arreola’s family received a $500,000 settlement from the city of Columbus.

$325,000 TBI Lawsuit Settlement

In 2023, a resident of Baltimore, Maryland, was struck by a police cruiser. The accident occurred when an officer, attempting a left turn across traffic without activating lights or sirens, failed to yield to the civilian’s vehicle. The resulting collision led to the civilian being hospitalized with claims of a traumatic brain injury with lasting effects, shoulder impingement, and soft tissue injuries. The civilian later filed a lawsuit against the officer, claiming his brain injury. To settle the case, a Maryland jury subsequently awarded the civilian $325,000.

$120,000 TBI Lawsuit Settlement

In September 2018, Rodolfo Lopez was at his home in Vallejo, California, when he heard commotion outside his front door. When he went to investigate, four police officers—Travis Aspergren, Yennet Hernandez, Steve Dargen, and Jake Estrada—kicked down his door and entered. After breaking in, the officers began to beat Lopez, resulting in a concussion, mild traumatic brain injury, and PTSD. The officers stated they were searching the apartment complex after seeing a crashed van outside, which was still running. They believed Lopez was connected to the incident, causing their search. In August 2020, Lopez filed a lawsuit against the officers for his injuries. In May 2022, he received $120,000 from the city of Vallejo.

Want a TBI Settlement? Contact Us Today

If you or a loved one suffered a TBI in NYC, contact Cody Warner, P.C. for a free consultation. We can discuss your case and explore your options for a TBI settlement.