%0 Book %A Engel, David M. %I The University of Chicago Press %D 2016 %C Chicago %G English %B Chicago series in law and society %@ 9780226305042 (cloth : alk. paper) %@ 022630504X (cloth : alk. paper) %T The myth of the litigious society : why we don't sue %X "With this book, David M. Engel demolishes the myth that America is a litigious society. The sobering reality is that the vast majority of injury victims more than nine out of ten rely on their own resources, family and friends, and government programs to cover their losses. When real people experience serious injuries, they don't respond as rational actors. Trauma and pain disrupt their thoughts, and potential claims are discouraged by negative stereotypes that pervade American television and popular culture. (Think Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad, who keeps a box of neck braces in his office to help clients exaggerate their injuries.) Cultural norms make preventable injuries appear inevitable or the victims fault. Were taught to accept setbacks stoically and not blame someone else. But this tendency to ђ́جlump it́ђح doesn't just hurt the victims; it hurts us all. As politicians continue to push reforms that miss the real problem, we risk losing these claims as a way to quickly identify unsafe products and practices. Because injuries disproportionately fall on people with fewer resources, the existing framework creates a social underclass whose needs must be met by government programs all citizens shoulder while shielding those who cause the harm. Its time for America to have a more responsible, blame-free discussion about injuries and the law. With The Myth of the Litigious Society, Engel takes readers clearly and powerfully through what we really know about injury victims and concludes with recommendations for how we might improve the situation." Book jacket