Documentary shows cost of personal injury lawsuit abuse

By Chris Dickerson | Legal Newsline
The Center Square

A new documentary aims to shine a light on what happens when American citizens are victimized by the personal injury lawsuit system.

“Behind the Settlement: What Really Happens After You Hire a Billboard Lawyer” was produced by Protecting American Consumers Together, a national organization it says is “dedicated to standing up for plaintiffs, victims and consumers to ensure they can access a fair and transparent legal process.”

PACT released the documentary January 13. It tells the stories of people who say they were victimized by the personal injury system.

PACT Executive Director Lauren Zelt says the documentary is important because the three people highlighted are important.

“No one should have to suffer because they are simply trying to access our legal system,” Zelt told Legal Newsline. “PACT was created to protect consumers while ensuring fair access to the justice system for all.

“Unfortunately, Americans are harmed every day by the ambulance-lawyer mill that leaves them worse off than they were before an incident occurred. These types of stories have become all too common in the United States.”

The documentary follows Debra, a mother from Illinois who was seriously injured in a car accident and says her personal injury lawyer took her settlement. It also tells the story of Jeff, a consultant from Texas who describes how, after his car accident, his personal injury lawyer took control of his medical care, sending him to what he believes were needless appointments to inflate the size of his lawyer’s payday.

And it examines the broader impact of the personal injury system through Dave, a business owner from Texas who says an influx of personal injury lawsuits drove up his insurance costs and forced him to lay off staff. He says he now worries about whether he can stay in business.

“If you own a commercial business, you’re gonna get sued … sooner or later,” Dave says in the documentary.

The film was made during PACT’s first year of operations. The group also has produced an Explainer Video that outlines the ambulance lawyer mill highlighted in the documentary. That video already has received more than 5.5 million views online.

“We will not rest until stories like Debra, Jeff, and Dave’s are a thing of the past,” Zelt said. “Lawsuit abuse is not an abstract concept. It has real, life-altering impacts on countless Americans whose personal injury attorneys prioritize profit over people.

“Moreover, lawsuit abuse impacts every American, costing the average family over $4,200 per year.”

In addition to the general public learning more about the system, Zelt said she hopes lawmakers see the documentary as well.

“We hope that legislators across the country see this documentary so they can better understand the devastating impact of lawsuit abuse on families in their own communities,” she said.

Zelt said the documentary will be shown at PACT’s inaugural summit this winter. And she says anyone who has a lawsuit abuse story to share can reach out to PACT on its website.