GREG HODGEN: True Crime Trial Exposes Litigation Tax On Working Families

Late last week, two plaintiffs’ attorneys in Louisiana were found guilty for their roles in a complex criminal conspiracy that has drawn national attention.

After an extensive FBI investigation, federal prosecutors found that the lawyers conspired with other indicted individuals to stage crashes involving 18‑wheelers, file fraudulent insurance claims, and bring lawsuits against unsuspecting truck drivers.

According to the indictment, when one of the “slammers” hired to intentionally crash into commercial trucks became a liability, a co‑conspirator—who is scheduled to face trial later this year— arranged for a hitman to kill him. (RELATED: Third Party Litigation Funding Scams Hurt All Of Us)

As shocking as the true‑crime elements of this case are, the deeper story is not about one defendant or one courtroom. It is about a civil justice system that, in too many places, has been distorted by lawsuit abuse, where profit takes precedence over fairness and the costs are quietly passed on to everyone else.

Nowhere is that distortion more evident than in trucking litigation. Too often, courtrooms function less as forums for justice and more as engines of jackpot justice designed to extract massive settlements from truckers and insurers by exploiting fear, uncertainty, and the risk of runaway verdicts. The goal is not to fairly compensate an injured plaintiff, but to coerce payment regardless of fault. The consequences show up in higher insurance premiums, higher prices at the grocery store, and fewer dollars in the pockets of American families.

This is not an argument against the civil justice system. The right to seek redress in court is fundamental, and legitimate victims deserve prompt and fair compensation. But when distorted incentives reward gamesmanship over accountability, the system stops serving justice and starts subsidizing exploitation.

That exploitation does not begin at the courthouse door. It begins long before a jury is ever seated, on highways and billboards across the country. For years, plaintiffs’ law firms have blanketed public spaces with advertising that portrays trucking companies and professional drivers as reckless villains. When jurors are primed to see trucks as threats rather than necessities, impartial justice becomes far harder to achieve.

Reining in lawsuit abuse is not about limiting access to the courts. It is about restoring balance by ensuring the courts work as intended. If lawmakers in Washington and in state capitals are serious about lowering costs and strengthening America’s economic position, they cannot ignore the role a broken litigation environment plays in making everyday life more expensive.

Encouragingly, leaders from both sides of the political aisle are beginning to confront the inflationary impact of lawsuit abuse.

In Florida, legal reforms championed in 2023 have already brought relief, with insurance rates declining and insurers issuing rebates to customers. In New York, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul announced efforts to crack down on staged crashes, inflated claims, and organized fraud schemes that manipulate the civil justice system for profit—without denying legitimate claims.

The stakes could not be higher for the trucking industry, which is enduring one of the longest freight recessions in modern history. Margins are thin. Carriers are closing their doors. Insurance remains one of the industry’s most significant costs, often rising regardless of individual safety records.

The case unfolding in New Orleans should be a wake‑up call. This is a moment for common sense, where leaders are willing to say that justice, affordability, and accountability can coexist. That is not a partisan message. It is a practical one. And it is long overdue.

Greg Hodgen is CEO of Groendyke Transport and chairman of the American Trucking Associations, the largest national trade association representing the trucking industry.

 The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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