It's time California wakes up to the cost of lawsuit abuse

As a veteran, I've spent my life focused on service – to the country, community and people who depend on us most. But in recent years, I've watched something troubling unfold across our state: California's culture of excessive litigation is quietly driving up costs, shrinking care options and putting real pressure on the very communities we work hardest to support. Here in Placer County, we value community, self-reliance and affordability. Yet those values are undermined when lawsuit abuse inflates costs for seniors, families, homeowners, veterans and small businesses. When litigation spirals beyond reason, someone always pays – and too often, it's the people with the fewest resources. Every city in California operates under a general plan built around quality of life and business viability. When lawsuit abuse drives up costs and pushes providers out, it undermines those local plans and the long-term health of growing communities across our country. Across the state, small businesses face opportunistic legal action. A report published earlier this year by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform shows California families are paying some of the nation's highest tort costs. In 2022, the state's total legal liability expenses hit $72 billion – that's $5,429 per household, or $1,222 more than the national average. Our residents feel the impact daily. Homeowners, retailers, senior-care providers and numerous others face rising insurance premiums. One claim – even if later dismissed – can drive up rates or threaten a business' survival. That leads to higher prices, fewer service options or closures, especially in rural parts of the state. Other states offer a model for reform. In Florida, targeted tort reforms reduced abusive lawsuits and stabilized insurance markets. Insurers are lowering premiums and even issuing rebates to policyholders, easing costs for consumers. The result: fewer frivolous suits, more predictable premiums and a healthier business environment. These issues aren't complicated. We don't need to reinvent the wheel – we should lean on solutions that have already produced measurable, quantifiable results in other states and adapt them to California. Here in Placer County, the effects of lawsuit abuse are clear: ● Homeowners and local businesses' costs are rising. Small businesses and homeowners face soaring costs. Those increases get passed on, fewer providers take smaller or rural jobs, and wait times and prices for maintenance rise. ● Seniors on fixed incomes get squeezed. Many older residents rely on modest Social Security or retirement incomes. Rising liability costs force care providers to raise fees or limit services, hitting those who moved here from more expensive areas of the state for affordability the hardest. ● Care options shrink. One lawsuit can close a local assisted-living facility or home-health agency. That reduces options for vulnerable residents, often forcing them far from family or friends. The solution isn't denying legitimate claims; it's restoring balance. California should: ● Tighten standards for filing lawsuits, dismissing frivolous claims early and shifting costs to plaintiffs when appropriate. ● Reform attorney-fee rules, limiting runaway multipliers and one-way payouts, as Florida did. ● Support rural and small-business providers with liability-insurance relief or legal-defense support to maintain local services. Lawsuit abuse is a statewide issue, but its consequences hit us here in Placer County – higher prices, fewer options and growing barriers. As a veteran, I believe deeply in accountability and fairness. I know firsthand how rising liability costs pull resources away from the people who need them most. Lawsuit abuse isn't an abstract policy issue, it's a direct threat to affordability, access and stability in counties like ours. If we want to keep Placer County affordable, connected and fair for the people who live and work here, we cannot ignore the hidden cost of a broken system. Our community deserves relief, and local businesses stand ready to help lead the way. Thoughtful tort reform can protect consumers and honest business owners while closing loopholes and targeting predatory bad actors who abuse the system. And our community – from small-business owners to caregivers to veterans – deserves relief. Nick Busse is a U.S. Army veteran and community/legislative advocate.