Missouri Farm Bureau
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Kevin Craig - "Liberty Under God"
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| With rising
liability judgments and the rising cost of insurance against such
judgments, we believe more fair and equitable guidelines, preferably
on a national basis, should be adopted to help solve liability
disputes. We support the tort reforms
enacted in Missouri. We believe there should be a maximum cap on
punitive damages at $250,000 for liability suits. |
Government encourages the
"entitlement" mentality, the idea that one can get
"something for nothing." Government encourages envy
against the rich. These motivate most huge jury awards. Giving
government more power to counteract the stupidity of
government-created juries is both symptomatic and
counter-productive. It also precludes justice in cases where a large
award is actually just and fair. |
| Joint and
several liability rules should provide that no defendant would be
required to pay more than their just share of the fault. |
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| In addition,
we would support penalties for individuals who bring civil suits
that are without foundation and are of a frivolous nature. |
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| A person who
has been injured while in the act of committing a crime should not
be allowed to sue for damages. |
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| We believe
lawyers should not receive attorney's fees in liability cases that
they solicit, file, and in which no judgments are awarded. Any
plaintiff and their attorney who initiate a lawsuit should be
responsible for all litigation costs, including defendant's attorney
fees, if the plaintiff loses. This would not apply to lawsuits
against governmental entities. |
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| It is estimated that liability insurance, lawsuits and
resulting settlements costs consumers $300 billion per year. Farm
Bureau needs to take the lead in educating people and changing
attitudes of our "sue happy society." |
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| We support
reforms in the state tort system to limit the liability of volunteer
emergency response organizations such as volunteer fire districts,
rescue squads, etc. |
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| We believe
there should be limits on liability suits pertaining to
not-for-profit public places, organizations, and events. |
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| In an effort
to control the costs of liability insurance, we support legislation
which would limit the liability of activities, such as county fairs
and horse shows. |
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| We believe
that when lawyers handle civil suits on a contingency basis they
should be required to disclose these arrangements. |
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