Tort Reform News

Insurer Group, Reinsurer Call for U.S. Legal System Reforms Armed with Survey

An insurer group and a reinsurer are calling for reforms to the U.S. legal system armed with a survey they conducted that shows a majority of Americans are unaware of the impact that plaintiff attorney “tactics” like predatory advertising and …

As Lawyers Warned, Fla. Courts Flooded with Suits Before Tort-Reform Bill Signed

Just as the plaintiffs’ law firm of Morgan & Morgan warned, the number of Florida lawsuits filed across the state has shattered previous records, topping 280,122 in April, the Florida Bar reported. That’s more than double the previous record set …

Fla. Legislature Sends Bill Banning Windshield AOB to Governor

The Florida House of Representatives on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill that would prohibit assignments of benefits for windshield repairs, sending it to the governor for his signature. Senate Bill 1002, passed by a vote of 103 to 16, also …

Fla. Tort Reform Bill Aims to Pick Up Where Lawmakers Left Off

Outside of insurance attorneys, plaintiffs’ lawyers and some doctors, few people in Florida may be familiar with what are known as letters of protection. But critics say the instruments, in which doctors agree to take a share of the judgment …

DeSantis Pitches More Tort Reform, Trial Lawyers Push Back

It’s now clear what the regular session of the Florida Legislature will focus on when lawmakers convene March 7: More litigation measures that would bring property insurance-type reforms to automobile, liability and other lines of insurance. The rough outlines of …

Ohio Court Rejects Caps on Damages in Some Child Rape Cases

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A woman repeatedly raped as a child is eligible for millions of dollars in additional compensation because a state cap on pain-and-suffering awards is unconstitutional as applied to cases like hers, a divided Ohio Supreme Court …

9th Circuit: Wash. Law on Malpractice Suits Doesn’t Apply

A Washington state law that requires plaintiffs to file a declaration declining arbitration when filing a medical malpractice suit does not apply in federal courts, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled. The appellate panel reversed a decision by the …

Calif. Supreme: Malpractice Damage Cap Protects Unsupervised Physician Assistants

California’s $250,000 cap on non-economic damages in medical malpractice lawsuits applies to actions by physician assistants even if they are not properly supervised by a licensed physician, the California Supreme Court ruled. In a decision Thursday, the high court rejected …

COVID-19 Immunity Proposal Flounders in Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Just a few weeks ago, Tennessee looked like a sure bet to become the latest state to protect businesses and other organizations from lawsuits by people impacted by the coronavirus in the push to reopen the economy. …

Republican Lawmakers Add Mistake in Signature Business Bill

BATON ROUGE, La. — After a last-minute scramble to pass the business lobby’s top priority for the regular session, Republican legislators quickly realized they mangled the language of the bill aimed at limiting damage claims against insurance companies in car …