Insurance Companies Are Trying To Block a Pennsylvania House Passed Bill Which They Claim Would Result In Larger Awards Against Them for Car Accidents
Once again the powerful insurance industry and their lobbyists are at it attempting to limit claimants’ recovery from car accidents lawsuits. Under the pending legislation passed by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, the lawyer for the claimant would be permitted to argue a lump sum or mathematical formula to a jury concerning how much the jury should award the injured party for pain and suffering resulting from a car accident which can include physical and emotional stress as well as humiliation, loss of lifetime employment, scarring, and disfigurement. Of course, the insurance industry argues that this legislation will increase jury verdicts and result in higher insurance rates.
Well, 30 other states of this country of ours permit attorneys to make these arguments. Yet, the insurance industry appears to be frantically lobbying against allowing the same in Pennsylvania. Of course, the monetary recommendation is optional and can be used both by defense or plaintiff’s counsel. The reality of the situation is that this bill would probably raise jury awards a little bit only in the smallest of cases but reduce awards in large cases. Once again this seems to an unconscionable attempt by the insurance industry to try to avoid paying claimants what they are rightfully owed.
As an experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer for over 30 years, I believe in the jury system and believe that it would be injurious to public welfare to have insurance companies dictate what can and cannot be argued to juries. The most important thing a car accident lawyer can do in Pennsylvania, as well as in this country, is to become an advocate of otherwise powerless citizens fighting corporate interests.
