Houston Daily

John D. Esparza, CEO of the Texas Trucking Association, said that Senate Bill 30 is a significant reform aimed at safeguarding the state's trucking industry by addressing legal tactics, curbing inflated medical damages, and limiting personal injury lawsuits.

"SB 30 is a vital step forward in protecting Texas' trucking industry from abusive legal tactics that have long undermined fair outcomes in personal injury lawsuits," said D. Esparza, President and CEO. "This legislation directly addresses the practice of inflating medical damages—an issue that has driven up costs and created uncertainty for trucking companies across the state. By defining noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering and mental anguish, SB 30 brings much-needed consistency and fairness to Texas courtrooms. With the passage of SB 30, the trucking industry—and all Texans—will benefit from a more transparent, balanced, and reliable justice system."

In a press release, Esparza praised the Texas Senate's passage of Senate Bill 30, describing it as a crucial step in protecting the trucking industry from abusive legal tactics. He emphasized that the bill addresses the inflation of medical damages and brings clarity to noneconomic damage awards like pain and suffering. Esparza credited Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Senator Charles Schwertner for their leadership in advancing legal reform. He noted that SB 30 will bring greater fairness and predictability to the justice system and now moves to the Texas House for consideration.

According to a new study by The Perryman Group, commissioned by Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA), Texans pay an average of $1,725 annually in higher prices due to excessive lawsuits and massive court awards—above the national average of $1,666. The "lawsuit tax" increases costs for goods, insurance, and services, affecting consumers and businesses alike. From 2009-2023, Texas led the nation with 207 "nuclear verdicts" (awards over $10 million), totaling more than $45 billion. These lawsuits have resulted in $33.6 billion in annual direct costs and over 450,000 lost jobs across the state. Business leaders and CALA officials are advocating for reforms to limit inflated medical bills, enhance billing transparency, and ensure fair noneconomic damage awards.

A study from the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform revealed that Texas ranks among the top five states for nuclear verdicts, with 130 personal injury and wrongful death cases resulting in $16 billion in awards from 2013 to 2022. The study highlighted how "anchoring" tactics—where attorneys suggest arbitrary high-dollar damage amounts—played a major role in inflating jury awards. One example involved a $39 million verdict in an auto accident case after a plaintiff’s lawyer proposed a symbolic per-mile damage figure; the Texas Supreme Court later overturned it due to improper tactics. These excessive awards contribute to higher insurance premiums and consumer costs while undermining fairness in the legal system.

A report from the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) reveals that Texas is a major hub for legal services advertising, with Dallas and Houston both ranking in the top ten U.S. media markets for total spending on these ads in 2024. Dallas saw approximately $69.8 million spent on 622,212 ads, while Houston accounted for over $56.6 million in spending on more than 411,000 ads. These figures reflect a broader national surge in trial lawyer advertising which reached $2.5 billion across the U.S. last year—more than double what pizza restaurants spent.

John D. Esparza serves as President and CEO of the Texas Trucking Association and Executive Director of the Southwest Movers Association with experience spanning public service under Governors Rick Perry and George W. Bush. A sixth-generation West Texan and Texas Tech University graduate, Esparza has participated on numerous state and national transportation committees while also chairing the Texas Tech University Research Park Board.