PHARR, Texas - The Texas Trucking Association wants more lawsuit reform when the Legislature meets again in January.
Dana C. Moore, the group’s vice president of policy and governmental relations, explained why at a Pharr Bridge Board Trade Talks session. The session was held at the Pharr Development and Research Center.
“Lawsuit abuse is really what we're talking about,” Moore said, during a panel discussion about transportation in Texas and Mexico.
“How far do you have to drive down one of these highways before you see a billboard with a plaintiff's firm, a lawyer up there? Some of them I saw yesterday with big red gloves on and the word they like to use over and over in their advertisements is, fight. We fight, we fight. If we don't win, you don't have to pay anything,” Moore said.
“Well, you may think, that's okay, and, truthfully, there are times when those folks are going to be needed. But think about this. What do you think is the number one reason why your insurance is going up?”
Moore answered his own question. He said it could be, to some degree, inflation and the cost of repairing vehicles.
“But primarily, insurance companies are raising rates because of the lawsuit environment, and it is terrible in Texas.”
Moore said it is worse in certain counties and cities.
“For example, Harris and Houston, the Dallas and Fort Worth counties, Austin, San Antonio and several of the counties down here in the Rio Grande Valley are notorious for the verdicts that are being returned to these trucking companies.”
Moore said he could probably talk about lawsuit abuse for the rest of day.
“I will just let you know that that's going to be our focus. The last thing I'll say on lawsuit abuse is TXTA has joined with Texans for Lawsuit Reform and the Texas Food and Fuel Association, and now we have about almost 1,000 associations, companies, individuals that have joined in with this. It's called the Lone Star Economic Alliance.”
Moore said he was not looking for any donations but if anyone wanted to give money to the cause, that would be great.
“But if you're interested in fighting these lawsuits, go to the Lone Star Economic Alliance, or you can link to it through the TXTA website and offer to put your company name and your logo up there.”
Moore concluded his remarks on lawsuit abuse by saying he has learned a thing or two walking the halls of the state Capitol.
“I’ve learned something about dealing with the Legislature. When you walk into a legislator's office, be it senator or representative, and you hand them three or four or five sheets of paper just covered with company logos and associations, you get their attention, because that really is quite a few voting people right there.”
