In 2024, there were 135 lawsuits resulting in nuclear verdicts — those above $10 million — against corporate defendants, a 52% increase over 2023. The total sum of those nuclear verdicts was $31.3 billion, representing a 116% increase from 2023. Third-party litigation funding, where investment firms finance lawsuits in exchange for a share of the proceeds, is pouring accelerant on the trend — annual investment in litigation funding is projected to reach $31 billion by 2028.