Citywide Totals: Liability Still Above $800 Million
- FY 2024: $1.06 billion in settlements/judgments
- FY 2025: $872.35 million
That’s a 17.5% reduction year over year, but the City still paid out nearly $900 million in a single year to resolve claims.
By Agency: NYPD Rising, Correction Dropping
- NYPD: $314.7M (2024) → $358.7M (2025) +14%
- Department of Correction: $252.9M (2024) → $103M (2025) –59%
- Department of Education: $133.4M → $81.7M –39%
- Department of Transportation: $116.1M → $106.6M –8%
- Sanitation: Entered the top 5 in 2025 at $66.8M
Key takeaway: NYPD is now the City’s single biggest liability source, while the Department of Correction saw a dramatic drop.
By Claim Type: Civil Rights Still Costliest, Auto Accidents Climbing
- Civil Rights: $411.4M (2024) → $256.5M (2025) –38%
- Automobile Accidents (PI): $127.3M → $151.3M +19%
- Peace Officer/Police Action: $89.9M → $113.4M +26%
- School Injuries: $109.2M → $68.7M –37%
- Defective Sidewalk: $63.8M → $59.3M –7%
Key takeaway: Civil rights payouts dropped overall, but both police misconduct claims and automobile accidents are growing in cost.
Claims Filed vs. Settled
- Claims Filed:
- FY 2024: 30,031
- FY 2025: 24,968 –16.9%
- Claims Settled:
- FY 2024: 7,757
- FY 2025: 7,625 –1.7%
Key takeaway: Fewer claims are being filed, but the City is still settling nearly the same number — indicating a steady pipeline of payouts.
What This Means for Personal Injury Victims?
The data makes clear that New Yorkers injured due to City negligence are continuing to come forward and win compensation. Whether it’s a pedestrian hit by a City vehicle, someone injured by police misconduct, or a victim of unsafe infrastructure, the City’s liability remains significant:
- Police-related cases are the biggest driver of payouts — both civil rights and personal injury claims against NYPD.
- Automobile accidents are on the rise — payouts increased by nearly 20% in 2025.
- Infrastructure hazards remain costly — defective sidewalk injuries continue to generate tens of millions in claims.
Notable Cases Our Firm Has Handled Against the City
Beacon High School Burn Case
Our firm obtained a $59.2 million verdict for a former high school student who suffered devastating burns during a botched chemistry experiment at Manhattan’s Beacon High School. During a classroom demonstration, a teacher poured methanol from a gallon jug into open flame, triggering a massive fireball that engulfed the student.
Record-Setting Award: This case holds the record for the largest award ever affirmed by an Appellate Court for pain and suffering in New York. It remains a landmark example of how negligence in City-run schools can cause life-altering harm, and how determined advocacy can secure historic results for victims.
Amadou Diallo Civil Rights Case
Our firm also represented the family of Amadou Diallo, the 23-year-old unarmed immigrant who was tragically killed by NYPD officers in 1999. The civil rights case against the City resulted in a $3 million settlement, one of the largest of its time. The Diallo case remains a defining moment in New York City’s legal history, underscoring both the devastating consequences of police misconduct and the importance of pursuing justice through civil rights litigation.
At Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf, our trial attorneys have more than 100 years of experience representing victims in claims against the City of New York. We have obtained some of the highest verdicts and settlements in New York history, holding City agencies accountable for negligence and misconduct.
Call 212-943-1090 today for a free consultation with a top-rated NYC personal injury lawyer or contact us online.