ATRA Commends Pennsylvania Lawmakers for Addressing Lawsuit Abuse

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Pennsylvania lawmakers introduced liability reform bills to tackle lawsuit abuse. Proposed changes aim to enhance job creation and economic stability by limiting excessive litigation costs.


Today, Pennsylvania lawmakers unveiled a comprehensive package of liability reform bills aimed at addressing the state’s lawsuit crisis.

Pennsylvania’s courts are included regularly in the American Tort Reform Foundation’s annual “Judicial Hellholes®” report, which currently jointly ranks the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania as the nation’s worst Judicial Hellholes®.

“While lawsuit abuse in the Keystone States seems to worsen by the year, it is encouraging to see some lawmakers recognize the financial toll and burden this abuse places on residents,” Tiger Joyce, president of the American Tort Reform Association said. “This legislative package is a crucial step toward restoring balance to Pennsylvania’s broken civil justice system and protecting citizens and small business from the economic fallout of excessive litigation.”

Some proposed reforms in the package address several key areas, including:

  • Limiting venue shopping in medical malpractice cases
  • Limiting attorneys’ contingency fees
  • Regulating third-party litigation funding
  • Reforming personal jurisdiction rules for out-of-state corporations

“These reforms aren’t just about improving a ranking – they’re about creating and saving jobs, lowering costs for consumers, and making Pennsylvania a more attractive place to do live, work, and conduct business,” Joyce said.

Recent data reveals that lawsuit abuse costs every Pennsylvania resident $1,431 annually in a hidden “tort tax” and results in a loss of more than 171,000 jobs each year.

While Pennsylvania lawmakers revealed their legislative package today, advocates across the country are highlighting the need for civil justice reform this week during Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week.

Additional reports reveal the extent of the problem in Pennsylvania:

  • Trial lawyers spent approximately $161.9 million on more than 1.4 million local legal services advertisements in Pennsylvania last year.
  • Since 2017, trial lawyer political action committees contributed more than $15.3 million to influence elections.
  • The top two recipients of trial bar campaign contributions received $1.8 million and $1.1 million respectively since 2017.

Estimates show that enacting certain tort reforms could increase Pennsylvania’s gross product by $18.57 billion.

“We commend Rep. Torren Ecker and his colleagues for their leadership in addressing these critical issues,” Joyce said. “As Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week reminds us, the impact of excessive litigation reaches far beyond the courtroom. We urge the Pennsylvania legislature to act swiftly on these reforms to protect citizens, attract businesses, and foster economic growth.”

For more information about lawsuit abuse and its impacts, visit ATRA.org.

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