Lawmakers See Tort Reform, Like Tax Relief, As Way To Reduce Costs
What happened: Leaders in South Carolina and Georgia are aiming to pass a series of tort reform bills this year that would make their respective states more economically competitive and a less costly place to do business. Read more
Tell me more:
In South Carolina, Senate Bill 244 is one of several tort reforms bills now being debated in the statehouse.
- South Carolina-based think tank Palmetto Promise Institute commented on the critical need to pass tort reform in the state, saying, “The lawsuit industry in South Carolina is out of control. Drive down any highway in our state, and you’ll see it lined with billboards for trial lawyers. The sheer quantity [is] a clear sign that something in our state is sorely wrong.”
- Governor Henry McMaster (R-SC) addressed the issue during his State of the State address on Jan. 29. He said: “Future economic prosperity requires that our state’s civil justice system allows fair and prompt enforcement of our laws and proper redress of injury … Individuals and businesses, both large and small, are becoming unduly penalized for the actions of others – too often through crippling financial judgments and skyrocketing insurance premiums.”
In Georgia, Senate Bill 68 – critical tort reform legislation – last week passed the State Senate on a 33-21 vote and will now move to the House.
- According to the American Tort Reform Association, the bill addresses “numerous issues to improve the state’s civil justice system, including reforms to address ‘phantom damages’ and ‘jury anchoring’ as well as empowering juries with critical evidence regarding seat belt use in cases involving vehicle crashes.”
TLR Thoughts: More than 30 years after TLR first started reshaping Texas’s tort environment, South Carolina and Georgia are following in Texas’s footsteps in prioritizing tort reform. But our work in Texas is not done. This legislative session, TLR is advocating for legislative reforms that will restore fairness and transparency to the legal system, return stability to the insurance market, and preserve Texas’s prosperous economy – the eighth largest in the world. Learn more at www.lseatx.com.
Uber Targets Personal Injury Lawyers in Multimillion Dollar Ad Campaign
What happened: Uber has launched a seven-figure national ad campaign to push for reforms in insurance policies that are being exploited by personal injury trial lawyers and driving up users’ ride costs. Read more
Tell me more: Specifically, the San Francisco-based rideshare company is seeking legislative changes that would lower state-mandated insurance limits – and ultimately help “deter personal injury lawyers from taking advantage of lucrative policies and seeking high payouts.”
- The advertising campaign includes sponsored placements in national and local political outlets, including Politico’s New York Playbook newsletter. Uber is also running ads on social media networks, YouTube and TV streaming platforms, urging consumers to take action to keep their rides “affordable.”
- An advocacy website set up by Uber includes state-by-state data on how insurance costs factor into rideshare prices to raise awareness for its cause. For example, costs associated with Uber’s US rides insurance have increased by roughly 50% per trip in the last 3 years, even as Uber saw a decrease in the rate of overall crashes reported on the platform from 2017 to 2022.
In his own words: “… [The] legal system remains broken, allowing personal injury lawyers and a shady network of pain management doctors, chiropractors and third-party lenders to exploit rideshare insurance mandates for financial gain.” — Adam Blinick, Uber Public Policy and Communications
TLR Thoughts: Uber is not alone. TLR is working right now with a coalition of nearly 1,000 businesses, associations and individuals to address the “shady network of pain management doctors, chiropractors and third-party lenders” who are exploiting Texas’s courts and costing every Texas consumer money. The Lone Star Economic Alliance (LSEA) is working to put an end to the unfair litigation practices raising the price of the goods you purchase every day. Sign up here to join the fight.
Did You Catch This?
UT System names former TLR lawyer Jim Davis as UT-Austin’s interim president
