Ohio Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse Unveils New Statewide Commercial for 'Sick of Lawsuits' Campaign

Ohio Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse Unveils New Statewide Commercial for 'Sick of Lawsuits' Campaign

TV Commercial Warns Patients that Junk Lawsuits are No Game

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its ongoing "Sick of Lawsuits" campaign, Ohio Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse will unveil a quirky TV ad to raise awareness about a very serious issue -- the cost and consequences of questionable lawsuits and legal advertisements on the healthcare system. The ad will run across Ohio during Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week, October 3-7.

"Out-of-state personal injury lawyers prey on Ohio's elderly and unemployed with their ads promising riches. It's time to send them a clear message to stay out of our state," said Jeff Longstreth, executive director for OCALA. "Instead of saying 'we don't get paid unless you get paid,' they should tell the truth. They always get paid, and Ohioans always lose."

Longstreth said misleading legal advertisements have the potential to injure patients. "A survey by Harris Interactive showed nine out of 10 people would be concerned if they saw an ad involving a medication they take. One in four said they would stop taking the medicine immediately," Longstreth said. "Ohioans should call their doctor about medical questions, not a lawyer."

The OCALA TV spot, dubbed "The Game," depicts a fictitious personal injury lawyer as a game show contestant spinning a prize wheel in hopes of striking it rich. With prize options such as "File Junk Lawsuits Against Doctors," "Run Ads That Scare Patients," "Make Costs Go Up," "Rake in Millions" and "Force Medicines Off the Market," the lawyer can't lose, and that's the point, according to Longstreth.

"This new TV commercial shows that in lawsuit abuse, it is only lawyers who win. Ohioans lose, and our healthcare suffers," said Longstreth. "We hope this advertisement will bring awareness to the citizens of Ohio that unscrupulous snake oil salesmen are not to be trusted. You wouldn't take medical advice from a doctor who advertises during the Jerry Springer Show, and I recommend the same for legal advice."

Longstreth cited the shortage of flu vaccines this past winter as an example of lawsuit fallout. In 1985, there were six licensed flu vaccine manufacturers, but in 1994, there were five, and today there are two. "Researchers abandoned the vaccine business, like other medical research and development, in part because of the threat of lawsuits," said Longstreth.

He also noted the lawsuits against non-profit hospitals, which provided $23 billion in free healthcare in 2003, have been targeted in no fewer than 40 questionable lawsuits, siphoning millions in precious resources away from patient care.

About Ohio Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse

Ohio Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse is a non-profit, non-partisan, grassroots public education organization that represents more than 6,000 Ohio citizens. As Ohio's watchdog for justice, OCALA's mission is to inform the public about the cost of lawsuit abuse and to help ensure the legal system is used for justice, not greed. Their Web site is http://www.ohiocala.org/.

Source: Ohio Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse

CONTACT: Penny Martin of Paul Werth Associates, +1-614-224-8114, ext. 264, or pmartin@paulwerth.com , for Ohio Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse

Web site: http://www.ohiocala.org/

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