New Texas Law Cracks Down on Ambulance-Chasing Attorneys

There is a big difference between appropriate attorney advertising on the web or on television and illegal attorney advertising. Recently, Texas passed a new stricter law regarding illegal attorney solicitations that went into effect on September 1.

Barratry, which is more commonly known as ambulance chasing, is the act of stirring up lawsuits and legal issues in order to profit from the resulting litigation or settlement. While the act of barratry has long been considered unethical and illegal in Texas, many (including many Texas attorneys) believed that the current laws were not strict enough.

Under the new Texas barratry law:

• Clients can void any legal contracts obtained through barratry
• Clients obtained through barratry can sue their attorney for fees, expenses, and damages.
• Barratry victims can sue those who commit barratry even if a legal contract was not signed.

The law, which was supported by both the Texans for Lawsuit Reform and the Texas Trial Lawyer Association, will be tested for the first time this month in Corpus Christi, as a Texas resident sues an alleged ambulance-chasing law firm in South Texas.

At the Rasansky Law Firm, we welcome any laws that discourage and prevent barratry – and encourage injury victims to report abuse. Our Dallas personal injury attorneys are here to listen to injury victims and help them understand the law. Any laws that further punish those who commit barratry are good for both accident victims and attorneys alike.