The best examples of general release examples for personal injury cases

Real-world examples of general release examples for personal injury cases

Most people only see a general release once: right before they get their settlement check. That’s a terrible time to be learning how these things work. So let’s start with real, plain‑English examples of general release examples for personal injury cases you’re likely to run into.

Imagine these as sample clauses and scenarios, not one-size-fits-all templates. Actual wording varies by state, insurer, and law firm, but the structure is surprisingly similar.

Example of a car accident general release (rear-end collision)

In a routine rear-end crash where the injured driver has soft-tissue injuries and accepts a modest payout, the release might say something like:

"Plaintiff hereby releases and forever discharges John Smith, ABC Insurance Company, and all of their past, present, and future officers, employees, agents, successors, and assigns from any and all claims, demands, actions, causes of action, damages, costs, loss of services, expenses, and compensation of any kind, whether known or unknown, arising out of the motor vehicle collision that occurred on or about March 2, 2024, in Dallas County, Texas."

This is one of the best examples of how broad these documents can be. A short fender-bender release often covers:

• Every possible claim related to that crash (property damage, lost wages, pain and suffering)
• Everyone remotely connected to the defendant (individual driver, employer, insurer)
• Unknown injuries that might show up later

For many people, this kind of example of a general release looks harmless until they realize it wipes out future claims if symptoms worsen months later.

Example of a slip-and-fall release with medical bill language

Now picture a grocery store slip-and-fall where the customer sprains an ankle. The insurer offers to pay medical bills plus a small lump sum. The release might read:

"In consideration of the payment of $18,500, the undersigned releases and forever discharges FreshMart, Inc., its insurers, employees, and contractors from all claims arising from the incident of July 15, 2023, including, but not limited to, claims for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and loss of earning capacity."

A few patterns you’ll see in these examples of general release examples for personal injury cases:

• The payment amount is spelled out clearly
• The incident is tied to a specific date and place
• The categories of damages are listed, even though the phrase “including, but not limited to” keeps it wide open

This style of release is common when the injury is relatively minor and the medical treatment is mostly finished.

Example of a workplace injury third-party release

Workers’ compensation law adds another twist. Employees usually can’t sue their employer directly, but they can sue a third party (like a subcontractor or equipment manufacturer). A general release in that setting might say:

"Employee understands that this Release pertains only to claims against XYZ Scaffolding, Inc., and does not affect any rights or benefits under the workers’ compensation laws of the State of California."

Here, the release carves out workers’ comp benefits. Among the better examples of general release examples for personal injury cases, this one shows how careful drafting can:

• Release the third party that allegedly caused the accident
• Preserve ongoing workers’ compensation wage and medical benefits
• Avoid conflicts with state workers’ comp statutes

States handle this differently, so lawyers often cross-check language against local law and, in some states, may need court or agency approval.

Example of a medical malpractice settlement release

Medical malpractice releases are often heavily negotiated because of the risk of future complications. A typical example of a medical malpractice general release might say:

"Releasor acknowledges that the nature and extent of injuries allegedly sustained as a result of the medical care provided by Dr. Lee and City Hospital may not be fully known at this time. Nevertheless, Releasor intends this Release to be a full and final settlement of all claims, known and unknown, including any future consequences of said medical care."

This is a classic “known and unknown” clause. These examples of general release examples for personal injury cases are controversial because:

• Patients sometimes sign before fully understanding long-term prognosis
• Some states limit how far these clauses can go when truly unknown injuries are involved
• Courts occasionally scrutinize them for fairness where there is a big information gap

For context on delayed complications from injuries, the CDC and NIH publish research on conditions like traumatic brain injury, which can evolve over time, making these clauses especially sensitive.

Example of a wrongful death release signed by the estate

When someone dies from an accident, the release is usually signed by the estate’s personal representative and sometimes by individual family members. A wrongful death release might look like:

"The Estate of Maria Lopez, by and through its duly appointed Personal Representative, and the statutory beneficiaries identified under Florida’s Wrongful Death Act, hereby release and forever discharge Coastal Trucking, Inc. and its insurer from any and all wrongful death and survival claims arising from the collision of May 10, 2022."

This kind of example of a general release shows:

• Who actually has legal authority to settle (the estate, not just any family member)
• That both wrongful death and “survival” claims (the claims the deceased could have brought) are being resolved
• How state-specific statutes shape the wording

Because wrongful death law is very state-specific, courts often review these releases more closely, especially if minor children are involved.

Example of a partial release preserving claims against others

Not every settlement wipes out all claims. Sometimes you settle with one defendant but keep your claims alive against others. A partial release might say:

"This Release applies only to claims against ABC Delivery, Inc. and its insurer. Releasor expressly reserves all claims against any other persons or entities who may be responsible for the incident, including but not limited to DEF Warehouse, LLC."

Among the best examples of general release examples for personal injury cases, this one illustrates a key strategy:

• Take early money from one defendant
• Keep leverage against remaining defendants
• Prevent the release from being twisted into a global settlement you didn’t intend

Lawyers pay careful attention to how this language interacts with state rules on joint tortfeasors, contribution, and set-offs.

Example of a structured settlement release for serious injuries

For serious, long-term injuries (think spinal cord damage or traumatic brain injury), the settlement may be “structured"—paid out over time rather than in a single lump sum. A structured settlement release might include language like:

"In exchange for the purchase of an annuity providing periodic payments as outlined in Exhibit A, Releasor releases all personal injury claims arising from the incident of October 6, 2021. Releasor understands that the periodic payments cannot be accelerated, deferred, increased, or decreased by Releasor, nor shall Releasor have the power to sell, mortgage, or encumber the annuity."

These examples of general release examples for personal injury cases show:

• The release is tied to very specific payment terms
• The injured person is giving up flexibility in exchange for long-term financial security
• Tax treatment and long-term planning are part of the negotiation

The U.S. Government Accountability Office and various courts have raised concerns over the years about abusive structured settlement buyout practices, which is why this language is often very explicit.

Example of a release with Medicare/Medicaid and lien language

In 2024–2025, releases increasingly address reimbursement obligations to government programs and private insurers. A modern release might say:

"Releasor acknowledges responsibility for satisfying any valid liens or reimbursement claims asserted by Medicare, Medicaid, or private health insurers arising from treatment of the injuries at issue, and agrees to indemnify and hold Releasees harmless from such claims."

This is one of the more technical examples of general release examples for personal injury cases, but it matters because:

• Federal law requires Medicare to be reimbursed in many injury settlements
• Medicaid and private insurers often have contractual reimbursement rights
• Failing to handle these properly can jeopardize future benefits

For background on Medicare’s role in injury settlements, see the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) guidance on Medicare Secondary Payer rules.

Key clauses you’ll see across the best examples

Once you’ve read a few real examples of general release examples for personal injury cases, the patterns jump out. Whether it’s a car accident or a malpractice claim, most general releases recycle the same building blocks.

Scope of claims released

The heart of every release is the description of what claims you’re giving up. Common phrasing includes:

• “Any and all claims, known and unknown”
• “Past, present, and future damages”
• “Arising out of or in any way related to the incident”

In practice, that can sweep in:

• Emotional distress that shows up later
• Future lost earning capacity if your condition worsens
• Additional medical procedures that become necessary

Medical sources like Mayo Clinic and WebMD often emphasize that some injuries, especially concussions and soft-tissue damage, can evolve over months. That reality sits awkwardly next to release language that tries to close the book forever.

Who is protected by the release

Another common thread in these examples of general release examples for personal injury cases is the long list of people protected:

• The named defendant
• Their employer
• Their insurance company
• “Agents, servants, employees, successors, assigns, heirs, and affiliates”

This is deliberate. Defense lawyers want to prevent you from filing a creative “workaround” lawsuit against a related party. If you intend to keep some targets on the hook, the release has to say so clearly.

Payment terms and tax language

Most releases spell out:

• The total amount you’re getting
• Whether it’s a lump sum or structured settlement
• Who pays which bills (for example, unpaid medical expenses or liens)

Some also include basic tax disclaimers: the release might say the defendant makes no promises about tax treatment. Personal injury settlements for physical injuries are often non-taxable under U.S. law, but not always—especially for purely emotional distress or punitive damages. That’s why larger settlements sometimes involve tax professionals as part of the negotiation.

2024–2025 trends shaping general release language

The legal boilerplate hasn’t changed much in decades, but the context around it has. Recent trends are influencing how lawyers draft and negotiate examples of general release examples for personal injury cases.

Electronic signatures and remote settlements

Since the pandemic, more settlements are handled entirely online. That means:

• Releases are emailed as PDFs or sent through e-signature platforms
• People sign on phones without a lawyer in the room walking them through the fine print

Courts in the U.S. and UK now routinely accept electronic signatures if basic authentication steps are followed. That convenience has a downside: it’s easier to sign something you don’t fully read or understand.

More attention to future medical needs

As medical research highlights long-term complications from injuries—chronic pain, post-concussion syndrome, PTSD—plaintiffs’ lawyers are pushing back harder on blanket “known and unknown” language. You’ll see:

• More negotiations over whether the release should exclude future claims for very specific, genuinely unknown conditions
• Greater use of structured settlements to cover projected lifetime care

Sources like the NIH and CDC Injury Center publish data on long-term injury outcomes, which lawyers increasingly cite during negotiations.

Medicare, Medicaid, and lien compliance

Government and private payers are more aggressive about recouping medical costs from injury settlements. Modern examples of general release examples for personal injury cases often:

• Require the injured person to certify whether they are a Medicare or Medicaid beneficiary
• Include promises to cooperate with lien resolution
• Spell out how much of the settlement is being set aside for future medical costs in some larger cases

This isn’t just paperwork; it can affect whether Medicare or Medicaid will continue paying for related treatment down the road.

How to read these examples before you sign

Seeing examples of general release examples for personal injury cases is useful, but the real value comes from knowing how to read your own document.

Focus on three questions:

What incidents are covered?
Is the release limited to a specific date and accident, or is it written so broadly that it could swallow unrelated claims?

Who is being released?
Does it match your expectations, or are you releasing employers, product manufacturers, or medical providers you never intended to let off the hook?

What future risks are you accepting?
Are you comfortable giving up claims for unknown complications, especially if your medical providers say your prognosis is uncertain?

If any of the examples in this guide feel uncomfortably similar to your situation, that’s usually a sign you should have a lawyer review the actual document before signing.

FAQ: examples of general release examples for personal injury cases

Q: Can you give a simple example of a general release for a minor car accident?
A: A typical short-form example of a general release in a minor car crash might say you release the other driver and their insurer from all claims arising from the accident in exchange for a specific dollar amount. It will usually mention property damage, medical expenses, and pain and suffering, and it will almost always include “known and unknown” injuries.

Q: Are there examples of general release forms that only cover property damage?
A: Yes. Some insurers use a separate property-damage-only release early on so they can fix your car while leaving your bodily injury claim open. Those examples of general release examples for personal injury cases should explicitly state that personal injury claims are not being released.

Q: Is it normal for a general release to mention Medicare or Medicaid?
A: Increasingly, yes. Modern examples include language about Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance liens, especially if your medical bills are substantial. This is tied to federal Medicare Secondary Payer rules and similar state law requirements.

Q: Can I negotiate the wording in a general release?
A: Often you can. Lawyers routinely negotiate examples of general release examples for personal injury cases by narrowing who is released, clarifying what claims are covered, or adjusting lien and indemnity language. Defendants may resist big changes, but small edits are common in contested cases.

Q: Where can I see more real examples of personal injury releases?
A: Public court files sometimes include settlement documents, especially in cases involving minors or court-approved wrongful death settlements. Law libraries and some legal aid organizations also provide sample forms. Just remember that these examples are starting points, not one-size-fits-all documents.

This guide is information, not legal advice. Laws vary by state and country, and real-world general releases should always be reviewed with a qualified attorney who understands your jurisdiction and your medical situation.