In a world of “jackpot” justice, the Judicial Hellholes® represent the worst jurisdictions to find yourself sued – courts where verdicts are detonated, and defendants are devastated.
The American Tort Reform Association publishes its annual list based on a year of study and analysis. Lauren Sheets Jarrell, vice president and counsel for social justice, reviewed the findings with me on my latest video and my latest podcast in TransportCenter.
Why It Matters
Two big things – the list and the “why.” Not just where these hellholes are, but what elements trigger these conditions.
The List
Drum roll please:
- Los Angeles
- New York City
- S.C. Asbestos Litigation
- Louisiana Coastal Litigation
- Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas
- St. Louis
- Cook, Madison & St. Clair Counties, Illinois
- King County & Washington Supreme Court
The Why
Nuclear verdicts: These jurisdictions are the epicenters of massive verdicts that epitomize the “casinoification of litigation.”
Anchoring: Permitting plaintiff attorneys to request massive damage numbers, setting the tone for outsized verdicts. (Note: Not all jurisdictions allow this – Philadelphia does not.)
Reptile Theory: The 2009 plaintiff’s “gift” that keeps on giving… to them. Demonize the company, argue systemic failures, demand a massive verdict as the only cure.
Fraud: It’s fraught. Staged accidents. Medical-legal collusion to inflate damages. A “Fraudemic.”
“Junk Science”: Permitting admission of evidence with dubious scientific legitimacy at trial.
Third-party litigation funding: Investments in lawsuits for a “piece of the action” – plus funding plaintiffs while their suit proceeds, with hefty ROI in interest.
If you have questions about how your company can avoid these courts, please contact me or any member of the Saxton & Stump Trucking and Commercial Transportation Group at any time.
