# Personal Injury Settlements: Myths vs. Reality | Attorney Brian White **Table of Contents***[*Expand*]* 1. News Coverage 2. Punitive Damages 3. Limits to Large Payouts 4. Class Action Lawsuits 5. The Value of a Personal Injury Case 6. Contact the Houston Personal Injury Lawyers at Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers For Help ![Houston Texas Lawyer](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/iStock-1202095317-300x180.jpg) In law, a [personal injury](https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/personal_injury#:~:text=Definition%20from%20Nolo's%20Plain%2DEnglish,body%2C%20mind%2C%20or%20emotions.) describes any [damage](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/types-of-damages-available-in-personal-injury-cases/) done to someone’s body, mind, or emotions. We all sustain injuries at some point in our lives—perhaps as a result of [car accidents](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/houston-tx/car-accident-lawyer/), [slip & falls](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/houston-tx/slip-and-fall-accident-lawyer/), [dog bites](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/houston-tx/dog-bite-lawyer/), or [tattoo infections](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/faqs/can-you-sue-if-your-tattoo-gets-infected/)—and sometimes, they’re not our fault. That’s where personal injury lawyers come in, helping people recover damages for the harm someone caused them. There are many types of personal injury cases and generalizations about the field that are often misguided. Here are a few common myths you may have heard about personal injury law and the reality behind them. ## News Coverage **Myth:**[Personal injury claims](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/) are exaggerated, harmful to businesses, make the injured person unnecessarily rich, and often lack merit. **Reality:**The personal injury cases that are covered in the news are anomalies, but because they receive the most attention, the public has started associating personal injury cases with shocking headlines of people getting millions of dollars in settlements for seemingly minor inconveniences. In extreme cases that receive national recognition, there’s usually more to the story than people realize, which helps explain why an injury amounted to such large damages. More often than not, personal injury claims get resolved without the public ever hearing a word. That’s because the details aren’t very juicy or newsworthy. Personal injury law isn’t about taking advantage of the legal system and squeezing every last penny out of the defendant; it’s about relieving the financial burden of a person who’s suffered injuries by holding the responsible party accountable.  In order to bring a personal injury claim, you need a lot of evidence—if a case didn’t have merit, an attorney wouldn’t go through with it. For a legal consultation call [(713) 500-5000](tel:+17135005000) ## Punitive Damages **Myth:**Personal injury [settlements](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/basic-personal-injury-settlement-breakdown/) give the claimant way more money than they’re actually entitled to based on their [injuries](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/faqs/what-types-of-injuries-are-commonly-associated-with-t-bone-accidents/). **Reality:**There are two types of damages: [compensatory](https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/actual_damages) and [punitive](https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/punitive_damages). Compensatory damages are what a person who is injured receives to help them recover from the harm caused. Most personal injury claims only seek to recover compensatory damages because the goal of the claimant isn’t to make a profit—they just want money to help restore their losses. If you’ve ever heard of a payout that seems way too high given the severity of the claimant’s injuries, it’s likely that they received [punitive damages](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/faqs/what-are-punitive-damages-in-texas/) in addition to compensatory damages. [Punitive damages](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/faqs/what-are-punitive-damages/) are collected as punishment when the responsible party acted recklessly or maliciously. Say your surgeon shows up drunk to work and botches the procedure. They weren’t just negligent; they were knowingly reckless with your safety and should be fined for their poor judgment—that’s cause for punitive damages, and if granted, the total payout will appear larger than one might expect. In reality, punitive damages are very rarely sought and even less commonly collected. That being said, when a [plaintiff](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/faqs/who-are-plaintiffs-and-defendants-in-a-personal-injury-case/) does receive punitive damages, it’s often part of a dramatic case that catches the public’s attention. ## Limits to Large Payouts **Myth:**There’s no limit to what a claimant can receive in a personal injury case. **Reality:**Personal injury claims fall under tort law, which is designed to restore an injured person to their pre-accident state both physically and financially. While it’s true that payouts vary by case and sometimes amount to large numbers, they’re calculated very methodically and are always determined to be the fairest monetary representation of damages caused. [Texas](https://www.texas.gov/) doesn’t have a cap on economic damages for an injury, but that doesn’t mean an attorney will be able to secure a million-dollar settlement for a broken arm. [Click to contact](/contact-us/) us today ## Class Action Lawsuits **Myth:**One plaintiff gets all the money with large payouts. **Reality:**Often, when the public hears of settlements in the millions or even billions, it’s the result of a [class action lawsuit](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/faqs/how-long-do-class-action-lawsuits-take/), meaning several plaintiffs are involved. In class action scenarios, people who sustained similar injuries from the same responsible party band together to file one large suit instead of a bunch of separate suits. A settlement in a class action lawsuit is generally larger than a settlement in an individual lawsuit because it’s making up for damages caused to several plaintiffs. However, after the time the money is divvied up between everyone involved, individual plaintiffs are unlikely to walk away rich. Complete a [Case Evaluation Form](/contact-us/) Now ## The Value of a Personal Injury Case **Myth:** Personal injury lawyers don’t understand what my damages are worth. **Reality:**It’s hard to put a price tag on personal injuries. Medical bills and lost income are quantifiable, but assigning a numeric value to damages like emotional trauma gets tricky. That’s what attorneys are for: determining the cost of damages and ensuring that you’re sufficiently compensated for them. The value of an injury depends on several factors:  - The nature and severity of the injury - The medical treatment required for recovery - The amount of time you are unable to work as a result - Whether you’ve been disfigured or suffered disability from the injury  - Whether the injury has affected your mental health or relationships - The amount of evidence you can present - The role you played in the accident People who have been injured are sometimes unaware of the extent to which they can be reimbursed for any physical, [emotional](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/faqs/what-are-non-economic-damages-in-texas/), or financial damages, and they doubt lawyers who say they may be able to collect a significant amount. On the flip side, people who have been injured sometimes have unrealistic expectations of how much money they can walk away from a lawsuit with. Unwilling to consider that their situation may not qualify for the large payout they wanted, they turn away any lawyer who challenges them. The truth is, while nobody can guarantee an exact return for damages, personal injury lawyers are trained to get a sense of what’s fair to expect and what isn’t. An attorney may disagree with the value of your claim, but it doesn’t mean they’re against you—they just want to manage expectations from the get-go. ## Contact the Houston Personal Injury Lawyers at Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers For Help Our offices Houston — Greenway/Upper Kirby 3120 Southwest Freeway, Suite 350 Houston, TX 77098 Open 24 hours daily Call [(713) 364-1466](tel:+17133641466) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%203120%20Southwest%20Freeway%2C%20Suite%20350%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077098) Houston — East Freeway 11811 East Freeway, Suite 630-06 Houston, TX 77029 Open 24 hours daily Call [(713) 609-1893](tel:+17136091893) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%2011811%20East%20Freeway%2C%20Suite%20630-06%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077029) Houston — South Loop 2600 South Loop West, Suite 293 Houston, TX 77054 Open 24 hours daily Call [(713) 281-4904](tel:+17132814904) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%202600%20South%20Loop%20West%2C%20Suite%20293%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077054) Houston — Katy Freeway 11511 Katy Fwy, Suite 515 Houston, TX 77079 Open 24 hours daily Call [(713) 909-7537](tel:+17139097537) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%2011511%20Katy%20Fwy%2C%20Suite%20515%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077079) Houston — Clear Lake 1300 Bay Area Blvd, Suite B268 Houston, TX 77058 By appointment only Call [(936) 508-2854](tel:+19365082854) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%201300%20Bay%20Area%20Blvd%2C%20Suite%20B268%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077058) The Woodlands 1776 Woodstead Ct, Ste. 203 The Woodlands, TX 77380 By appointment only Call [(281) 843-9777](tel:+12818439777) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%201776%20Woodstead%20Ct%2C%20Ste.%20203%2C%20The%20Woodlands%2C%20TX%2077380) Champion Forest (Cypress) 4606 FM 1960 Rd W, Ste. 444 Houston, TX 77069 By appointment only Call [(281) 843-9777](tel:+12818439777) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%204606%20FM%201960%20Rd%20W%2C%20Ste.%20444%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077069) --- ### About the Author Brian White ![About the Author Brian White](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/brian-white-houston-personal-injury-lawyer-300x300.jpg) [Brian White](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/about/our-attorneys/brian-white/) earned his J.D. from South Texas College of Law in Houston and is licensed to practice in Texas. He is a [Board-Certified](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/resources/brian-white-is-board-certified-in-personal-injury-trial-law/) Personal Injury Trial Lawyer. Dedicated to giving back, he actively supports local charities and [community initiatives](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/about/community-involvement/). [Client testimonials](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/about/testimonials/) highlight Brian’s compassion, open communication, and dedication to achieving the best outcomes for those he represents. [Avvo](https://www.avvo.com/attorneys/77098-tx-brian-white-74113.html) / [Justia](https://lawyers.justia.com/lawyer/brian-elliott-white-201630) / [Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/attorney-brian-white-378410166) / [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FBrianWhiteLawFirm%2F/) / [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDdkDcGkbY2GFTzpeTWypFQ?app=desktop/) / [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fattorneybrianwhite%2F%3Fhl%3Den&is_from_rle/) / [Yelp](https://www.yelp.com/biz/brian-white-and-associates-houston) / Call or Text [(713) 500-5000](tel:+17135005000) or Complete a [Case Evaluation Form](/contact-us/) Personal Injury Blog Posts: [![Demand Letter Response Time in Texas](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Demand-Letter-Response-Time-in-Texas-300x200.jpg)](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/demand-letter-response-time-in-texas/) [Demand Letter Response Time in Texas](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/demand-letter-response-time-in-texas/) Your Houston personal injury lawyer may send a demand letter to the insurance company of the person who caused your [![What To Do When The Adjuster Won’t Return Your Calls After A Houston Accident](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/What-To-Do-When-The-Adjuster-Wont-Return-Your-Calls-After-A-Houston-Accident-300x200.jpg)](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/what-to-do-when-the-adjuster-wont-return-your-calls-after-a-houston-accident/) [What to Do When the Adjuster Won't Return Your Calls After a Houston Accident](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/what-to-do-when-the-adjuster-wont-return-your-calls-after-a-houston-accident/) Personal injury claims arise after many types of accidents, from car accidents to medical malpractice. Most personal [![Coal, Logging, and Refrigeration Truck Accident Lawyer in Houston](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/themes/brian-white/assets/app/img/default-thumb.webp)](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/coal-logging-and-refrigeration-truck-accident-lawyer-in-houston/) [Coal, Logging, and Refrigeration Truck Accident Lawyer in Houston](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/coal-logging-and-refrigeration-truck-accident-lawyer-in-houston/) Were you injured in an accident with a coal, logging, or refrigeration truck in Houston? Since Texas is an [![Houston Texas Lawyer](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/houston-texas-law-firm-300x180.jpg)](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/six-signs-youve-hired-a-bad-attorney-tips-to-help-you-choose-the-right-one-in-the-future/) [Six Signs You've Hired a Bad Attorney: Tips to Help You Choose the Right One in the Future](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/six-signs-youve-hired-a-bad-attorney-tips-to-help-you-choose-the-right-one-in-the-future/) When life throws a curveball - like a car accident or slip and fall - it is helpful to have an experienced, --- Source: https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/personal-injury-settlements-myths-vs-reality/