Disney and Publix Want to Cut Lawsuit - Millions on Payouts

Newsflash from your Hollywood Attorney:

Millions of dollars are at stake. Publix Super Markets and Walt Disney World — are spearheading an effort to cut the size of civil-lawsuit awards, which could lead to enormous savings for the frequently sued companies through smaller jury verdicts and pretrial settlements.

Their goal is to persuade state lawmakers to rewrite the way medical damages are determined if a business is found responsible for an accident, whether a customer slips in the aisle of a grocery store or a tourist is hurt aboard a theme-park ride.

Records show that Publix alone spent more than $37 million last year defending itself against or settling civil lawsuits, with about 80 percent of those costs incurred in Florida. Other documents show the Lakeland-based grocery chain expects it could save at least $1 million a year, and potentially much more, if lawmakers enacted its proposed changes.

Businesses lobbyists argue that the current system has been manipulated by shrewd trial lawyers and by complicit doctors who exaggerate the cost of medical services and perform more work than is necessary on accident victims — which then encourages juries to award much larger amounts in damages.

Read More... http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-07-10/business/os-disney-publix-lobby-for-lawsuit-changes-20130710_1_accident-victims-walt-disney-world-jury

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