Chapter 22

Tort and Public Policy

-The tort law system has 3 purposes:

-Compensate harmed persons

-Fairly allocate benefits to victims and costs to wrongdoers

-Deter dangerous behavior

-5 major criticisms

-Awards are sometimes unreasonably high

-Going to court is too expensive

-Trial lawyers get too much money

-Takes too long to resolve disputes

-Tort law is very complicated

-Injured should sometimes receive compensation regardless of who was at

fault

Tort Reform

-Forced settlement

-Mediation

-No-fault accident insurance

-Limiting noneconomic damages (“pain and suffering”)

-Limiting punitive damages

-Medical malpractice reform