Medical malpractice settlements have some of the highest amounts of compensation in the entire legal arena. Medical malpractice settlements are contingent on a number of factors. Circumstances taken into consideration include, but are not limited to, the nature of injury, the part of the body that is affected, the recovery, the existence, or lack there of, of a disability or incapacitation, the long-term prognosis, the defendants degree of liability, the type of accident that caused the injury, and the ongoing pain and suffering, if any, the victim suffered or is suffering as a result of the negligent actions of the defendant. Sometime there are considerable differences in the amount awarded to plaintiffs in a medical malpractice settlement with similar injuries because of these circumstances.