Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania (CAP), an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to restoring economic freedom, limited government and personal responsibility by impacting the legislative and electoral processes, has expressed stern opposition to House Bill 2246, legislation amended by the Commonwealth's trial bar, which would increase the cost of car insurance in the near term and lead to higher health care costs down the road.

"This bill is a frontal assault by trial lawyers on our civil justice system and working Pennsylvanians, who will have to pay more for their car insurance," said CAP executive director Joe Sterns.Specifically, the legislation would allow a plaintiff's lawyer in an auto accident case to make a direct appeal to the jury for a specific amount of monetary damages for "pain and suffering.""This calls to mind former U.S. vice president candidate John Edwards' infamous trial tactic of channeling dead people to a jury in order to win nine-figure payouts for his clients," Sterns added. "This bill will make Pennsylvania 's already-bad lawsuit problem even worse."Pennsylvania already has among the fewest safeguards against lawsuit abuse in America, making our Commonwealth one of the least-friendly places in the country for job creators and doctors. Sterns noted that HB 2246 is a Trojan horse for the trial bar in that, once enacted, it won't be long before the courts rule&nbs p;that trial lawyers in suits of all types can make direct appeals to juries for "pain and suffering."The taxpayers of Pennsylvania need to dial their state Senator's office and urge a "no" vote on House Bill 2246, the trial lawyers' bill.Citizens Allianceof Pennsylvania