Attorney Bernie Layne Comments on Lawsuit Reform on Talkline Radio
Attorney Bernie Layne - Partner of Mani Ellis & Layne, PLLC - recently appeared on Talkline Radio to comment on the issue of lawsuit reform. The program centered on a group that is pushing for lawsuit reform, claiming that lawsuits have become a problem in America. Attorney Layne - who is President of the West Virginia Association for Justice - shared his insight on how this couldn't be further from the truth, and how such groups have special interests to promote lawsuit reform.
Attorney Layne began with citing the fact that groups such as Citizens Against Lawsuits are often funded by large corporations, including tobacco companies and oil companies. These corporations have a special interest to protect themselves against lawsuits - since their conduct often harms others. As Attorney Layne puts it, these companies harm others yet want to "immunize themselves from lawsuits."
Layne goes on to state that the right to a civil lawsuit and legal recourse is given to all Americans under the Seventh Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. It gives the everyday American the voice to fight back against those who commit wrongful acts, and those who have harmed them. He also revealed startling data against special-interests group's claims. A poll conducted by the National Federation of Independent Businesses in 2012 asked businesses about the problems they face:
- Cost and frequency of lawsuits ranked 71st of 75 concerns.
- The threat of lawsuits ranked last among problems associated with business costs.
Attorney Layne's segment on Talkline was a compelling and accurate assessment of the ways in which large corporations continually try to protect themselves against lawsuits. As we've seen right here in West Virginia, corporations like Freedom Industries need to be regulated - and they need to be held accountable for the harm and losses they cause.