THE COST OF LIVING IS INCREASING:
FIND OUT WHY LEGAL SYSTEM ABUSE IS A FACTOR

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BACKGROUND:
The idea of “easy money” is a temptation that’s hard to resist. No one knows that better than plaintiff attorneys, who flood the airwaves and billboards across the country advertising their services and encouraging civil litigation. The legal services ads spend by plaintiff lawyers totaled more than $2.5 billion for more than 26.9 million ads in 2024. This is an increase of more than 32% compared to 2020. But if they win their case, how much of this money does the plaintiff see?

In this interview, Dr. Robert Hartwig talks more about lawsuit abuse and the effect on our pockets. He also shares what needs to be done to reign in the cost consumers have to pay for these sorts of frivolous lawsuits.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Lawsuit abuse results in higher costs of $1,666 per person or $5,215 per family annually.
• Auto and home insurance costs are 2.5% and 4.56% higher, and prescription drugs are over 9% higher due to excessive legal system costs.
• Lawsuit abuse also results in 4.8 million jobs being lost annually and a cost of $160 billion more to small businesses.

For more information please visit: www.apci.org

MORE ABOUT ROBERT P. HARTWIG:
Robert P. Hartwig is Clinical Associate Professor of Risk Management, Insurance and Finance in the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina and Director of the school’s Center for Risk and Uncertainty Management. He teaches courses in risk management, insurance and corporate finance, mentors students, pursues a variety of research interests and works with insurers, regulators, legislators and many other insurance industry stakeholders, including media. Dr. Hartwig is also a member of the Federal Reserve Board’s Insurance Policy Advisory Committee. Dr. Hartwig serves as a media spokesperson for the property/casualty insurance industry and is quoted frequently in leading publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Financial Times, BusinessWeek, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, CFO, Fortune, Forbes, The Economist and many others throughout the world. Dr. Hartwig also appears regularly on television, including programs on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, CNBC, Fox, PBS, Univision and the BBC.

Produced for: American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA)