Lawsuit Abuse Impact

Walker v. Farmers Ins. Exch., 153 Cal.App.4th 965

Tort Liability Costs for Small Business

In 2004, the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform commissioned NERA Economic Consulting to quantify the cost of tort litigation to small businesses. That study has been widely cited by policy analysts and policy makers. In the interest of providing data that is current, ILR has commissioned an update on small business tort costs from NERA Economic Consulting. (Note: the 2004 study, using the most recent available data, was based on 2002 figures; this update is based on 2005 data.) The results show that small businesses continue to bear a significant share of tort costs.

Small Businesses: How the Threat of Lawsuits Impacts Their Operations -- West Virginia Sample

Sixty percent of West Virginia small business owners say they are very or somewhat concerned about the impact of frivolous lawsuits on their businesses, and many alter business decisions as a result, according to this study by the nonpartisan market research firm Harris Interactive

Lawsuit Climate 2007: Rating the States