New Jersey Lawsuit Reform Alliance

Report: New Jersey Is A Hellhole

Citing a “culture of litigation,” American Tort Reform Association says that excessive litigation has compromised access, affordability of prescription drugs; schools in Atlantic County also hurt.

TRENTON, N.J. — A report released today by the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) places New Jersey’s courts at number 4 in its annual list of “Judicial Hellholes,” with a particularly dire situation in Atlantic County.

“Every dollar spent defending against a groundless lawsuit is a dollar that won’t be spent on research and development, capital investment, worker training or job creation,” said ATRA President Sherman “Tiger” Joyce. “Unfortunately for those living in Hellholes jurisdictions during this economic downturn, it can be that much harder to find or keep a job and get critical health care services as employers and doctors are driven away by the threat of costly litigation.”

“Ninety-three percent of the lawsuits filed against our pharmaceutical companies were from out-of-state litigants, whose cases would never see the light of day in their home jurisdictions,” added Marcus Rayner, Executive Director of the New Jersey Lawsuit Reform Alliance (NJLRA). “Instead of being the nation’s ‘medicine cabinet,’ the trial bar is turning New Jersey into the nation’s lottery ticket instead.”

Even more alarming is the impact that excessive litigation is having on Atlantic City’s struggling school district. The report notes that the Atlantic City School District spent roughly $1.5 million on legal services last year, more than every other school district in the state by a substantial margin. This school year, Atlantic City has budgeted $1.16 million for its legal services, equating to approximately $184.00 for each student in the district.

“We have a lot of problems, and a lot of lawsuits... we’re trying to recoup costs for frivolous lawsuits,” said School Superintendent Fredrick P. Nickles.

The full text of ATRA’s report can be found here.

Reduce medical liability costs before more specialists flee N.J.

By Glouster County Times Op-Ed
November 22, 2009
By Assemblywoman Amy H. Handlin
Special to the Times 

Let's say you are a woman over 40 who follows the American Cancer Society guidelines (regardless of the recent controversy about them) and faithfully gets a mammogram each year. 

What would you do if you tried to make your 2010 appointment, only to learn this test is no longer available anywhere in the state? Would you take a day off from work to travel to Pennsylvania - or forgo your screening entirely? Full Story »

N.J. Senate, Assembly choose leaders for next Statehouse session

By Star-Ledger Staff
November 23, 2009, 6:47PM

TRENTON -- The makeover of the New Jersey Statehouse officially began today as senators and Assembly members chose the leaders who will guide the Legislature into the 2010-11 session.

There were no surprises as the guard changed, but that didn't make the day any less emotional or suspenseful. Sen. Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester) was tapped to become Senate president, andAssemblywoman Sheila Oliver (D-Essex) will take over the speakership in the Assembly. They won control of their houses during separate closed-door sessions of the reigning Democrats. Full Story »

Elizabeth medical center to pay $3M to settle Medicare fraud lawsuit

By Joe Ryan/The Star-Ledger
November 18, 2009, 7:17PM

ELIZABETH -- Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth has agreed with the federal government to pay $3 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the hospital of defrauding Medicare, authorities said today. Full Story »

Proposed bill requires N.J. restaurant chains to include calorie count on menus

By Susan K. Livio
November 23, 2009, 6:50PM

New Jersey's most popular fast-food chains would have to print new menus disclosing the calorie count for all of their edible items under a bill opposed by restaurants owners but approved by a Senate committee today. Full Story »

New Jersey enters multi-state settlement with Vonage

Tom Hester
New Jersey Newsroom
Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Company will refund consumers and modify its practices

New Jersey has signed onto a multi-state settlement agreement with Vonage, one of the nation's largest providers of a service known as "Voice over Internet Protocol," an Internet-based phone service, state Attorney General Anne Milgram announced Monday. Full Story »

N.J. businesses say '10 outlook is sluggish, but better, survey finds

By Lisa Fleisher/Statehouse Bureau
November 24, 2009

Alex Mastoris has a prediction. The Bordentown restaurant owner says business will get better next year -- but so, so slowly, people will barely notice. Full Story »

To revive New York's economy, attack lawsuit abuse

By Lawrence J. Mcquillan and Mark Kriss
Special to NYDailyNews.com
Wednesday, November 18th 2009

New York's unemployment rate is hovering near 9% - the highest in more than a decade. Meanwhile, almost 12% of Empire State homeowners are late on their mortgages or in foreclosure. From 1997 through 2007, the number of jobs in New York increased only 8%, ranking the state 36th. During this period, the Empire State had a net domestic outflow of nearly 2 million people, the biggest exodus from any state. One important reason for the steady decline is the state's failed civil liability system.

Tort law is intended to fairly compensate those who have been wrongly harmed. But according to "An Empire Disaster," a report released this week by the Pacific Research Institute, lawsuit abuse is rampant in New York State. For too long, New York's tort system has been exploited by personal-injury lawyers and plaintiffs looking for a big payday no matter how crazy the claim. Full Story »

Judge Dismisses Second Case Involving Merck's Fosamax

By Chad Bray
November 24, 2009

NEW YORK-A federal judge dismissed the second of three so-called "bellwether" cases over Merck & Co.'s osteoporosis drug Fosamax. Full Story »

Lawsuits cost city $136 mil. last year

By Fran Spielman, City Hall Reporter
November 13, 2009

Chicago taxpayers spent a whopping $136.4 million last year to settle lawsuits filed against the city, but that was an "anomaly" not likely to be duplicated, the city's top lawyer said Thursday. Full Story »

Judge dismisses lawsuit claiming Miley Cyrus' pic discriminated against Asians"

by Ted Frank
November 21, 2009

"The novel legal claim was filed by Lucie J. Kim in a class action suit against the singer earlier this year that sought $4,000 in damages for each Asian and Pacific Islander living in Los Angeles County." Kim complained that Cyrus was photographed with an Asian friend and other friends pulling back their eyelids; Cyrus apologized when the photo became public in February. Cyrus sought tens of thousands of dollars in attorneys' fees for what she felt was a frivolous claim; the request was denied. "Henry M. Lee, Kim's attorney, said his client is considering appealing the case." Full Story »

Injured kid hits school in dim gym lawsuit after dodgeball accident

By Dorian Block and Bill Hutchinson
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Tuesday, November 17th 2009

Teachers at a Bronx school are being portrayed as dunces for letting students play dodgeball with hard soccer balls in a crowded gym - leaving left one kid with busted teeth.
The city offered 12-year-old Shane Reese $20,000 Monday to head off a lawsuit stemming from a head shot he took in the crazy game last year at Intermediate School 219. Full Story »