# 2002 Tort Costs at Record $233 Bln 

_News_

Canonical: https://www.claimspages.com/news/i1357/

The U.S. tort system cost $233 billion in 2002, a $27.4 billion increase over 2001, representing the largest dollar increase in U.S. history. Current costs translate into $809 per U.S. citizen, $87 more than in 2001 and $797 more than in 1950.

"NAMIC is not surprised by this continuing trend of runaway costs, which are, in effect, a tax imposed on Americans," said NAMIC Vice President - Federal Affairs David Winston. "This again emphasizes the urgent need for meaningful tort reform."

These findings were reported by Tillinghast – Towers Perrin (Tillinghast) in U.S. Tort Costs: 2003 Update — the only study that tracks the cost of the U.S. tort system from 1950 to present and compares the growth of tort costs with increases in various U.S. economic indicators.

Sources:
- National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (http://www.namic.org/topnews/031211st1.asp)