Fair and Transparent
Lawsuit Reform.

Lawsuit Fairness for Alabama

Fair and Transparent Lawsuit Reform.

The Lawsuit Fairness for Alabama Coalition seeks to restore balance and transparency to tort laws through critical reforms while protecting consumers, plaintiffs, and defendants from unfair practices in Alabama. Now is the time for lawsuit reform for Alabama.

The problem
is clear.

Alabama families and businesses are experiencing intense cost pressures and inflation on all essential goods and services. These increased burdens are due in part to certain tort practices that focus on the quantity of cases filed rather than the quality. These practices inflate the cost of litigation, lack transparency, and are unfair to Alabama consumers. It is clear that now is the time for lawsuit and tort reform for Alabama.

Lawsuit abuse in Alabama costs the average Alabamian $731 per year and costs the average family $1,016 per year.*

Lawsuit abuse in Alabama costs
Alabama’s economy:

Lawsuit abuse costs governments due to lost economic activity and thus exacerbates the impact of existing taxes on Alabamians and businesses:

$7.3 billion

lost economic spending*

$3.6 billion

lost gross product*

$2.3 billion

lost personal income*

34,714

lost jobs*

$158 million

lost local government revenue in Alabama*

$187 million

lost state government revenue in Alabama*

$603 million

lost federal government revenue in the U.S.*

* Based on the “Economic Benefits of Tort Reform” report from The PerryMan Group. 2021

For Alabama families and small businesses to achieve economic freedom, lawsuit abuse reform is needed in the following areas:

Lawsuit Financing

Require disclosure of information related to litigation finance companies with an interest in a lawsuit; provide consumer protections for plaintiffs utilizing finance companies; require reporting of foreign governments/entities funding lawsuits.

Medical Financing

Require disclosure of third-party medical financiers in the lawsuit and disclosure of referral relationships between attorneys and medical providers.

Direct Negligence

Provide protections from excessive direct negligence claims against employers when an employer admits liability for the actions of their employee. These direct negligence claims intentionally and strategically drive up the costs of settlements  and utilize what is referred to as the “The Reptile Theory,” to encourage the jury to focus on the acts of the defendant rather than the specific facts surrounding the individual plaintiff’s injury.

Independent Contractor Protection

Create a rebuttable presumption that an independent contractor relationship exists when a written contract establishes that relationship, which will support a defense to a defendant’s liability for the acts of independent contractors.

Proper Venue Protection

Provide for the transfer of venue to the county where the accident occurred if it is filed in a different county by the plaintiff.

Collateral Source/
Medical Evidence

Place limits on the type of evidence that can be presented as proof of medical expenses so that only amounts actually paid to or reasonably expected to be owed to a medical provider are included. Simply, plaintiffs should be made whole for paid or owed medical bills, rather than by billings that are not paid or owed by any party.

Seat Belt Admissibility

Allow a defendant to introduce evidence of the plaintiff’s failure to use a seatbelt for purposes other than to prove contributory negligence.

Truth In Advertising

Prohibit advertising that includes an amount of damages recovered unless the amount represents monies actually paid to a plaintiff as the result of a lawsuit.

Expert Testimony Standards

Align Alabama law with national standard; require expert testimony to meet certain standards before becoming admissible at trial.

Non-Economic Damages

Limit the maximum award of damages for pain and suffering, mental anguish, and emotional distress damages to a reasonable amount similar to neighboring states.

News and Resources

Share your story

Lawsuit abuse costs Alabama businesses and consumers billions of dollars and thousands of jobs a year.

Share your personal or your businesses story about lawsuit abuse in Alabama with the Lawsuit Fairness Coalition so that we can share it with lawmakers and decision makers.* Fill free to submit anonymously if you’d prefer not to share personal details.

Now is the time for lawsuit and tort reform for Alabama. Your stories help us achieve these critical reforms.


*Submissions will be collected by the Lawsuit Fairness for Alabama Coalition and used to promote tort reform at the discretion of the coalition.

Coalition Partners

Take Action

Lawsuit abuse comes at a high cost for Alabama businesses, consumers, and taxpayers—all while putting upward pressure on commercial insurance rates and threatening our state’s economy. Driven by unfair litigation practices that emphasize the quantity of lawsuits over quality, lawsuit abuse increases court costs that ultimately get passed down to taxpayers and businesses alike.  

State lawmakers’ support of the Lawsuit Fairness Act of 2024 will restore balance to Alabama’s courts and help reduce harmful lawsuit abuse that increases costs for Alabamians.

Please use our messaging tool to let your lawmakers know about your support of the Lawsuit Fairness Act, and let them know that now is the time for lawsuit and tort reform for Alabama.

Thank you for submitting your story about lawsuit abuse in Alabama.

Use the links below to share this site with friends, colleagues, and local and state leadership. 

The Time to Act is Now!

Tell your local legislators to protect Alabama consumers from the negative effects of lawsuit abuse.

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