U.S. Tort System Costs Top $656 Billion, Study Finds
A U.S. Chamber of Commerce study finds tort litigation costs hit nearly $656 billion in 2025, outpacing economic growth and costing each household over $4,900.
U.S. tort litigation costs climbed to nearly $656 billion in 2025, surpassing the pace of broader economic growth and translating to more than $4,900 per American household, according to a new study released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform.
The findings underscore mounting affordability pressures on families at a time when household budgets are already strained by inflation and elevated interest rates. When litigation costs grow faster than the economy, businesses typically pass those expenses along to consumers through higher prices for goods, insurance, and services.
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The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, which advocates for changes to the civil justice system, published the report as part of a broader push to draw attention to what it describes as an outsized legal liability burden on American businesses and consumers alike. The organization has historically used such data to support legislative and regulatory reform efforts at both the state and federal level.
Tort litigation encompasses a wide range of civil lawsuits — from personal injury and product liability claims to medical malpractice — and the costs reflected in the study include jury awards, settlements, legal fees, and administrative expenses. Critics of the current system argue that runaway verdicts and third-party litigation financing have accelerated cost growth in recent years.
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