Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch recognizes Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week
Baton Rouge, La. – Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week is observed annually the first week in October by Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch (LLAW), the Louisiana Legal Reform Coalition (LLRC) and other civil justice reform organizations across the country. This grassroots effort is aimed at informing citizens about the significant costs and economic consequences of lawsuit abuse.
“Transparency is critical in establishing and maintaining a civil justice system that serves all Louisianans, while leveling the playing field for businesses of all types and sizes,” said LLAW Executive Director Lana Venable. “Hardworking families and job creators continue to pay the price when our system is not working as efficiently as it should, reflected in the availability and affordability of everyday goods and services,” she added.
While the increasingly untenable cost of insurance continues to be the most prolific challenge for all Louisianans, the impacts of lawsuit abuse go well beyond this single issue. A fair and balanced civil justice system is good public policy, leading to a more stable, predictable business environment and further aligning Louisiana with other states. Adopting measures that improve transparency across the system will encourage businesses to locate and/or expand here, help retain our best and brightest
citizens and attract new talent to the state.
“Some progress was made during the regular legislative session including repeal of the direct action statute and third-party litigation funding disclosure by both domestic and foreign interests,” said LLRC Executive Karen Eddlemon. “However, important legislation that would have allowed juries to see both the amount billed to a health care provider as well as the amount actually paid by insurance in injury cases was vetoed. We will continue to fight for these and other reforms to bring necessary transparency to our civil justice system.” she added.
Louisiana has consistently been recognized as having one of the worst civil justice climates in the country. The American Tort Reform Foundation ranked Louisiana as the seventh-worst Judicial Hellhole in the U.S. in its 2023-24 Report.
In January, LLAW released the Economic Benefits of Tort Reform, a study conducted by The Perryman Group for Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse. The study found that Louisiana continues to lose jobs and revenue because of the state’s civil justice system. Excessive tort litigation in Louisiana resulted in annual average direct costs of more than $3 billion statewide, state gross product losses of nearly $4.5 billion and more than 40,500 lost jobs. Additionally, state government losses totaled over $230 million, with local governments losing more than $192 million on average, annually.
As these statistics show, all Louisianans pay the price when the state’s legal system is abused. The goal of Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week is to shine a light on abusive lawsuits and questionable legal practices – and to inform hardworking citizens of the sometimes hidden costs of lawsuit abuse. It is up to all Louisianans to do their part to help end lawsuit abuse and ensure fairness and balance in our civil justice system.
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