Published Dec. 30, 2024, 11:28 a.m. ET | Updated Dec. 30, 2024
Letter to the editor
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – For decades, Florida’s lawsuit abuse problem was out of control.
And if you’re reading this, you may be thinking that lawsuits only affect those who are involved with a lawsuit. But that’s where you’re wrong.
Every time a frivolous lawsuit is filed in the state of Florida, all Floridians are impacted, in more ways than one can imagine.
The cost of food, cars, healthcare, and insurance all go up when people abuse our legal system for their own personal gain.
The costs are borne in the form of thousands of jobs lost and higher prices for goods and insurance.
Without doubt, this disproportionately affects retirees and working families, especially those in our Hispanic and African-American communities.
Just the other day, an insurance data research entity reported that due to the lawsuit reform laws of 2023, lawsuits against insurance companies are down more than 23%.
More importantly, because of that, many private insurers were able to hold their rates steady or lower costs of premium for policyholders.
With results like these, we need to thank the governor and legislature for acting in 2023. Perhaps even with inflation driving up the cost of everything, we will see a leveling off of the expected cost increase of insurance. Some have suggested we need to roll back the reforms of 2023.
I say let these reforms continue to work and maybe add to them. It is time to get this right for Florida permanently.
Dr. Miriam Ramirez is a former senator of Puerto Rico.