In a recently published article on the Daily Caller, Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch Executive Director Lana Sonnier Venable examined lawsuit abuse which has become out of control in recent years in Louisiana.
In the article, Venable said the legal system is costing American families dearly while giving them little in return for the high price. Specifically, the average American household is paying $3,329 per year toward the tort system, despite only 57 percent of the expenditures being put toward plaintiff compensation.
"Lawsuit abuse is an issue that should resonate with all Louisianans," Venable recently told the Louisiana Record.
Lana Venable
| Courtesy of LLAW
Louisiana also is home to attorneys who encourage individuals to file lawsuits for everything from fender benders to slip and falls, resulting in ever-rising insurance premiums for drivers and businesses that fear legal action.
For those who are connected to the energy industry, the threat of a lawsuit looms as attorneys have begun to take legal action against the oil and gas industries, alleging that their normal operations are injuring the coastline of Louisiana.
"From coastal lawsuits threatening tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs to the lack of choice and high cost of auto insurance, lawsuit abuse significantly impacts our quality of life," Venable said, adding that the lawsuits threaten thousands of residents who rely on the jobs provided by the industry.
Venable said that the turnover rate of judges in Louisiana has been deplorable, as more than 40 Louisiana judges have been disciplined for violation of oaths and abuses of authority in the last 10 years.
"As we enter an election year in 2019, civil justice reform must be a top-of-mind issue for both candidates and voters," Venable said.
Venable says that a great deal needs to be reformed and that lawsuit abuse needs to be managed, lest the situation becomes worse.