Civil Litigation
May 13, 2021
Why we should stop SB 447’s imposition of unlimited ‘pain and suffering’ damages
Damages are the end-game for contingency fee lawyers who are typically paid 40% of the total recovery in a personal injury lawsuit. This symbiotic financial relationship between plaintiffs and their counsel animates Senate Bill 447 (Sen. Laird -D), a bill to add “pain and suffering” damages to amounts recoverable in “survival actions.”
Kyla Christoffersen Powell
President & CEO
Civil Justice Association of California
Email: kpowell@cjac.org
Fred J. Hiestand
General Counsel
Fred J. Hiestand, APC
Phone: (916) 448-5100
Email: fred@fjh-law.com
Damages are the end-game for contingency fee lawyers who are typically paid 40% of the total recovery in a personal injury lawsuit. This symbiotic financial relationship between plaintiffs and their counsel animates Senate Bill 447 (Sen. Laird -D), a bill to add “pain and suffering” damages to amounts recoverable in “survival actions.” Unsurprisingly, the bill’s chief sponsor is an organization of contingency fee PI lawyers — the Consumer Attorneys of California.
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