The numbers behind the lawsuit economy.
A running file of independent, sourced data on what predatory litigation costs American households, businesses, and public budgets.
Every number on this page traces back to a bill, a docket, or a filing — not a press release.
The figures below are pulled from independent research, federal filings, and insurance-industry reporting. Each entry links back to its source.
- 01
In 2023, $2.4 billion was spent on over 26 million local legal services ads across TV, radio, print, and billboards in the U.S.
In 2023, $2.4 billion was spent on more than 26 million local legal services television, radio, print ads or billboards soliciting legal claims across the United States.
- 02
71% of personal injury victims say their attorney encouraged additional treatment, and 25% say their attorney dictated their medical care.
According to the PACT Personal Injury Litigation (PIL) client survey, 71% of respondents reported their attorney encouraged them to seek additional treatment, and 25% said their attorney was primarily responsible for setting their medical treatment.
PACT PIL client survey8/23 - 03
Nearly half of personal injury victims say their attorneys influenced doctor selection, specialist referrals, visit frequency, appointment scheduling, and medical payments.
Almost half of respondents in the PACT Personal Injury Litigation (PIL) client survey said their attorneys were involved in selecting doctors' offices and determining specialists they saw. Attorneys were also notably involved in determining the frequency in which their clients went to the doctor, scheduling appointments and making medical payments for clients.
PACT PIL client survey8/23 - 04
The average cost of new litigated auto injury claims has surged by 64% since 2019.
According to a 2024 Sedgwick report, the average cost of new litigated auto bodily injury claims has surged by 64% since 2019.
Sedgwick5/24 - 05
Legal service TV ad spending totaled $1.2 billion through November 2022.
Spending on legal service ads on television hit a total of $1.2 billion through November 2022. December 2022 CNN headline: “How Personal Injury Lawyers Took Over Your TV.”
CNN12/25/22 - 06
Litigation cost the United States $529 billion in 2022, equating to an estimated $4,207 per household.
Tort costs amounted to $529 billion in 2022, or 2.1 percent of U.S. GDP, including $215 billion in automobile accident claims. “U.S. tort costs in 2022 equate to $4,207 per household” and the “per-household amount has grown consistently since 2016.”
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal ReformNovember 2024 - 07
Litigation costs grew 7.1% annually from 2016 to 2022, outpacing inflation, with business costs projected to double in just over eight years.
“[T]ort costs have grown at an annual rate of 7.1 percent a year over the period 2016 to 2022,” exceeding the rate of inflation. “Costs to businesses … will double in a little over eight years” as the current cost “as a percentage of GDP rose from 1.88 percent to 2.07 percent.”
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal ReformNovember 2024 - 08
The annual growth in commercial general liability costs reached 10.1% per year for commercial automobile liability in 2022.
“The annual growth in commercial general liability costs … reaches 10.1 percent per year for commercial automobile liability.”
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal ReformNovember 2024 - 09
Litigation costs have driven US liability claims up by 57 percent over the past decade.
In September 2024, the Swiss Re Institute found litigation costs have driven US liability claims up by 57 percent over the past decade.
Swiss Re Institute9/7/24 - 10
Abuse of the legal system has cost the US economy an estimated $443 billion in 2023, adding an estimated $3,600 to the annual expenses of each household.
The American Property Casualty Insurance Association found abuse of the legal system has cost the US economy an estimated $443 billion in 2023, adding an estimated $3,600 to the annual expenses of each household.
Insurance Business Magazine10/3/24 - 11
Small businesses bear 48% of commercial litigation costs, amounting to $160 billion in 2021.
In December 2023, ILR found small businesses bear 48 percent of commercial tort costs, amounting to $160 billion in 2021.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal ReformDecember 2023 - 12
Construction, transportation, communications, utilities, and sanitation industries face the highest litigation costs, exceeding $30.77 per $1,000 of revenue for small businesses.
Industries with the highest expected tort costs per thousand dollars of revenue were construction, transportation, communications, electric, gas, and sanitary services. For those industries, the price of tort liability for small businesses was $30.77 or greater per thousand dollars of revenue.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal ReformDecember 2023