Tort Distortion

There is an excellent article on the history and features of the American tort system at www.boileryard.blogspot.com. If the subject interests you, go there now without delay!

In part, I answered that post in this way....

In my seldom humble opinion, the tort system has suffered the same trouble as the rest of the once-sterling American government system: Subsequent Diddling Bloat.

Compensatory damages, as cited in Sadie's post, seem like "fair play" to me, and I was enlightened about many of the positive aspects. The SDB ("Subsequent Diddling Bloat") comes when, after the fair compensation is assigned and the plaintiff/victim recovers financially from negligence, the court enters the Bonus Round and the trial becomes the Hot Coffee Lottery. That's the point where SDB turns (typically) lower-income people into millionaires at the expense of the rest of the (typically) lower-income people paying higher prices for goods and services, losing goods and services to collapsing businesses, and losing jobs while working for collapsing businesses.

On the surface, the "answer" seems simple to me ... discontinue the Hot Coffee Lotto and end the SDB (not to be confused with the dread SBD).