Episode 29: Lawsuit Abuse and Nuclear Verdicts in Trucking - Past, present and future

About the Podcast: 

Lawsuit abuse and the rise of nuclear verdicts are a crisis in the trucking industry driving up costs, shutting down businesses and hamstringing the industry. We've seen jury awards and settlements in hundreds of millions and even billions of dollars, often far exceeding the actual damages. These outsized verdicts are driving skyrocketing insurance premiums, forcing small and mid-sized carriers out of business, and creating an environment where frivolous lawsuits are a constant threat. However, the industry is going on the offensive.

Joined by Pamela Bracher and Peter Berg, we discuss nuclear verdicts, lawsuit abuse, what’s being done to deal with these topics and how the industry can help.

Disclaimer – nine minutes into the episode, Peter experienced technical difficulties and was not recorded by the podcast. The flow of the conversation might be a little different, but we did our best to still provide entertaining and informative conversation. Please forgive us and enjoy! 

Topics Covered:
    • The history of nuclear verdicts
    • The reptile theory and the psychology behind it
    • What are some common situations that can lead to these types of cases
    • The media’s role in the trucking industry
    • The public’s perception of lawsuits on fleets

Featured Industry Specialists:
    • Host: P. Sean Garney, co-director at Scopelitis Transportation Consulting
    • Co-Host: Steve Keppler, co-director at Scopelitis Transportation Consulting
    • Guest: Pamela Bracher, deputy general counsel for the American Trucking Associations
    • Guest: Peter Berg, principal and practice leader at TrueNorth Companies

TN Truck Thought is a monthly podcast featuring some of the brightest minds in trucking. Our carefully selected panel of industry experts get to the bottom of the most challenging and controversial issues facing the industry today. In each episode, we take a deep dive into all things trucking, including: what's new in government and research, as well as practical and theoretical discussions on issues like the rise of nuclear verdicts, how to overcome this crazy supply chain, or the driver shortage. The TN Truck Thought Podcast is hosted by Sean Garney and Steve Keppler of Scopelitis Transportation Consulting and produced by TrueNorth Companies.

We'd love to hear from you! Give us your feedback and future topic suggestions. Email: transportationnews@truenorthcompanies.com

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