Tort reformers have been turning up all over the internet recently. We took the liberty of rounding up some of the standouts. You may recognize a few friends of Project Lawsuit Abuse in there. Here are some of the newsmakers from around the country.

OK Gov. Fallin now has the call on special session to remedy Court’s tort slap down

Tort reformers have been turning up all over the internet recently. We took the liberty of rounding up some of the standouts. You may recognize a few friends of Project Lawsuit Abuse in there. Here are some of the newsmakers from around the country.

Millions spent on Chinese drywall litigation without much to show for it

As we’ve told you before, lawsuit abuse hits small businesses particularly hard. From abusive Americans with Disabilities Act lawsuits to outrageous slip and fall lawsuits, many small business owners live in fear of the day that an unscrupulous personal injury lawyer will come knocking at their door.

Tort reformers have been turning up all over the internet recently. We took the liberty of rounding up some of the standouts. You may recognize a few friends of Project Lawsuit Abuse in there. Here are some of the newsmakers from around the country.

California is Ground Zero for Food Lawsuits
For some time, the plaintiffs’ bar has been looking for the next cash cow and the food industry seems to be it. Last year, a story on ABC laid out how the same guys who got rich by pummeling the tobacco industry have set their sights on a new target: those who make and sell food. – Fox & Hounds Daily

Small businesses are the backbones of our communities, providing two-thirds of all news jobs each year. But small businesses are also favorite targets of lawsuits, many of them abusive. At worst, a single abusive lawsuit can destroy a small business. At best, lawsuit abuse makes it even harder for small businesses to succeed, grow, and provide the jobs and services our communities need.

Here are some quick facts from the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform about the impact of lawsuit abuse on small businesses:

•    Lawsuits cost small businesses $105.4 billion in 2008

Louisiana, a state well-known for aggressive personal injury lawyers and sue-happy residents, saw a recent twist in the traditional slip and fall case. Just recently, a woman sued a fitness club after stepping on a moving treadmill and injuring herself. The lawsuit argues that there were no warning signs that the machine was dangerous, and that fitness club employees should have stopped her from stepping on the machine.

We recently told you about California’s problems with shakedown lawsuits associated with Proposition 65, a law that requires businesses to post warning signs if their premises contain a product known by the state to cause cancer or be a reproductive toxicant. Many California trial lawyers are targeting small businesses who fail to post the signs, demanding money up front and giving owners no time to fix violations.

We also told you about legislation moving through California’s state legislature to address the problem. Assembly Bill 227 would offer businesses desperately needed relief from abusive Prop. 65 lawsuits by giving them two weeks to fix violations.

Tort reformers have been turning up all over the internet recently. We took the liberty of rounding up some of the standouts. You may recognize a few friends of Project Lawsuit Abuse in there. Here are some of the newsmakers from around the country.

Gov. Brown vows to amend chemical disclosure law

Small businesses in California can’t seem to catch a break. As we’ve told you, California business owners have long been under siege from abusive Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) lawsuits – trolling disability lawyers file lawsuits for the most minor violations, such as signs being the wrong shade of blue, and demand upfront settlement payments.

In 2012, lawmakers finally took action to crack down on these abusive ADA lawsuits, with California Jerry Brown signing reform legislation and offering small businesses some desperately needed relief.

Should the purpose of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) be to make the lives of disabled people easier or to make lawyers money? It appears that trial lawyer George Louie thinks it is the latter. Recently, he threatened to sue dozens of small City businesses in Yuba City over minor ADA violations. To protect its citizens from his lawsuits, Yuba City actually paid George Louie to stay away.

While Yuba City is safe from George Louie, it is still vulnerable to frivolous lawsuits brought by other abusive trial lawyers. Cases like this make it clear that lawyers filing dozens of lawsuits don’t care if ADA violations are fixed – they just want their money!

Editor’s Note: Project Lawsuit Abuse regularly highlights lawsuit abuse news from across the country. Today, By Maryann Marino, Regional Director of California Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse, contributed a guest post as part of the continuing Create Jobs, Not Lawsuits tour.

The “Create Jobs, Not Lawsuits” Tour pulled into South Gate for a spirited luncheon and media event last Wednesday. We’ve been traveling around California hearing small business owners share their experiences with lawsuit abuse or fear of lawsuits.

Editor’s Note: Project Lawsuit Abuse regularly highlights lawsuit abuse news from across the country. Today, By Larry Westerlund, Councilman, City of Fresno and member of California Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse, contributed a guest post as part of the continuing Create Jobs, Not Lawsuits tour.