Release date: Sept. 27, 2005
Contact: Elaine Justice at 404-727-0643 or elaine.justice@emory.edu

Can Tort Reform Save Lives? Emory's Rubin and Shepherd Say Yes

Research by Emory economists Paul Rubin and Joanna Shepherd suggests that tort reform—such as caps on punitive damages—leads to fewer accidental deaths. They will discuss the results of their research at a discussion and Web cast at the American Enterprise Institute at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12.

Rubin and Shepherd looked at two possible effects of tort reform's impact on accidents and safety:

• that reforms could increase accidents as companies internalize less of their external cost savings and have less incentive to reduce the risk of accidents; or
• that reforms "could decrease accidents as lower expected liability costs result in lower prices, enabling consumers to buy more risk-reducing products such as medicines, safety equipment and medical services."

After examining the effects of tort reform on non-motor vehicle accidental death rates, Rubin and Shepherd found that "tort reforms in the states between 1981-2000 have led to an estimated 14,222 fewer accidental deaths."

To see the full text of the study, click here.

For information about the Oct. 12 presentation, click here.

Emory University is known for its demanding academics, outstanding undergraduate college of arts and sciences, highly ranked professional schools and state-of-the-art research facilities. For nearly two decades Emory has been named one of the country's top 25 national universities by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to its nine schools, the university encompasses The Carter Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Emory Healthcare, the state's largest and most comprehensive health care system.

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