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The Truth about Legal Legends: A Quiz

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Consumer advocates and some legal scholars say the public's image of the legal system is colored by myths. Test your susceptibility.

Myth:Huge punitive damage award have become an every day event in our court system.

Fact:False. A study of courts in the nation's 75 largest counties conducted by the National Center for State Courts found that only 364 of 762,000 cases ended in punitive damages. This translates to only 0.047% of all verdicts.

Myth:Cities and Towns are routinely asked to pay gargantuan awards for frivolous suits.

Fact:False. In New York City, for example, 29,835 new claims were filed in 1997. In the same year, 38 cases were resolved for $1 million or more representing 26% of the total paid out that year. The plaintiffs were found to have major injuries, like paralysis and brain damage, as a result of accidents with city vehicles and of malpractice in city hospitals. The remainder of these claims were either withdrawn or settled for far less.

Myth:Liability cases such as Slip and Falls and Automobile accidents are out of control.

Fact:False. A study of 16 states found that there were 9% fewer liability cases filed in 1997 than in 1986.

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