ATRA backs House bill to shield stone slab makers from abusive suits

The American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) has announced its support for H.R. 5437, a legislative proposal aimed at addressing what it describes as abusive lawsuits targeting stone slab manufacturers and sellers.

According to ATRA's bulletin, plaintiffs' firms are allegedly focusing on upstream businesses for injuries that arise from third-party fabrication practices. The group argues that this approach unfairly penalizes compliant manufacturers while allowing noncompliant shops to avoid accountability. The release identifies California as a focal point of the recent litigation surge and includes a statement from President Tiger Joyce calling for "fairness and predictability" to prevent job losses and reduced consumer choice due to forum shopping and novel liability theories.

Joyce says "hundreds of lawsuits" have been filed against manufacturers, distributors, and sellers despite the alleged misconduct occurring at separate fabrication shops. The proposed bill seeks to align liability with control over safety practices and process risk, which tort reformers argue would reduce incentives for excessive litigation and preserve supply chains. By directing claims towards the responsible party, defendant pools are narrowed, potentially reducing defense costs that could impact product pricing and payrolls.

Workplace safety regulations already focus on fabrication sites as the primary hazard area. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) respirable crystalline silica standard for general industry sets exposure limits and requires control plans, medical surveillance, and training. ATRA contends that enforcing these shop-level standards is more effective in protecting workers than suing upstream producers, which reallocates costs without improving safety outcomes.

Founded in 1986 in Washington, D.C., the American Tort Reform Association is a national coalition advocating for a fair and predictable civil-justice system. ATRA researches lawsuit trends, publishes the annual "Judicial Hellholes" report, and supports legislation aimed at curbing abusive litigation while enhancing transparency. Its membership comprises businesses, trade groups, and insurers who favor reforms aligning liability with fault to protect jobs, consumers, and economic growth.