Local government lawsuits cost taxpayers $20 million

Frivolous lawsuits, settlements and extra legal help for local governments have cost Orange County taxpayers more than $20 million over the last two years, according to a report from Orange County Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse.

The Corona del Mar-based group, headed by Maryann Maloney, advocates reform of the legal system and limits on the ability to file frivolous suits. Its recent analysis, released last week, examined city and county budget information and cases mentioned in news reports from the state’s four largest counties.

In 2006, Orange County government spent $8.7 million on verdicts and settlements and $3.3 million hiring additional legal counsel to handle lawsuits. In a specific Newport Beach case the report cited, a woman who fell on the sidewalk while rollerblading filed a claim against the city.

She asked for $30,210 to cover her medical bills and the “pain and suffering” of worrying about an increased risk of breast cancer.

“These funds could be going to much more important things, such as sheriffs and emergency personnel,” Maloney said in a prepared statement.

— Alicia Robinson