Lee esta historia en español. People suing commercial vehicle companies over injuries they suffered during a crash would face new limits on what evidence
Texas Senate Passes Commercial Auto Tort Reform Bill
A bill that proponents say will help control abusive lawsuits against commercial motor vehicle operators following accidents has passed the Texas Senate.
House Bill 19 would have a big impact on the commercial auto insurance market, as it aims to limit lawsuits following commercial vehicle crashes its supporters say. The insurance industry-supported measure by Rep. Jeff Leach would, among other things, require a two-part trial in civil actions involving a commercial motor vehicle if requested in a motion by the defendant.
In the bifurcated trial system, the driver of the vehicle subject to the civil action must be found “negligent in operating an employer defendant’s commercial motor vehicle” before the lawsuit can proceed to the second phase, which involves a claim against the driver’s employer, according to a House summary of the bill.
Texas Senate OKs Bill Aimed at Lawsuit Abuse ttnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from ttnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Insurance Bills Begin to Move in Texas Legislature May 5, 2021
Numerous insurance-related bills have been filed during the current Texas legislative session and many of them have begun moving in the Texas House and Senate.
Among those bills that have recently been acted on and are of interest to the insurance industry include legislation addressing commercial vehicle accident lawsuits, COVID-19 lawsuit protections for businesses, and policyholder/insurer cooperation in resolving auto insurance claims.
HB19
One of the most high-profile bills, if passed and signed by the governor, would have a big impact on the commercial auto insurance market, as it aims to limit lawsuits following commercial vehicle crashes. The insurance industry-supported House Bill 19, by Rep. Jeff Leach, among other things, would require a two-part trial in civil actions involving a commercial motor vehicle if requested in a motion by the defendant.
Texas House Passes Bill That Would Help Curb Lawsuit Abuses
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The Texas House of Representatives has passed legislation that would help curb the growing trend of lawsuit abuse targeting commercial vehicles in Texas.
House Bill 19, passed on April 30 by a vote of 81-49, was forwarded to the Texas Senate. The legislation has earned widespread support from the trucking industry and small businesses across the state, American Trucking Associations said in a statement.
“With this significant vote, Texas joins a growing number of states committed to stopping rampant lawsuit abuse by enacting measured, targeted and prudent reforms that restore balance and fairness to the civil justice system,” said ATA President Chris Spear. “For years the plaintiffs’ bar has been perverting the civil justice system into a profit center to line their own pockets, leeching off a critical link in the supply chain and the livelihoods of honest and hardworking truckers in their pursuit o