Public sentiment shifts toward plaintiffs: Survey

The U.S. public increasingly views lawsuits as a legitimate tool for exacting justice, Swiss Re said Tuesday.

Only 56% of U.S. adults who responded to a survey think there are too many lawsuits in the country, down sharply from 90% in 2016, according to Swiss Re’s 2025 Behavioral Social Inflation study.

Fewer people (24%) think damages awarded in lawsuits are too high compared with 42% in 2016, the study found.

The attitude toward punitive damages remained more stable. About 73% of respondents think punitive damages are the best way to deter bad behavior, compared with 80% in 2016.

The findings confirm that juror sentiment has shifted significantly toward plaintiffs, a change affecting verdicts in measurable ways, according to Swiss Re.

The survey is based on responses from approximately 1,150 U.S. adults who were shown a series of randomized legal simulations.