Litigation

There are strong opinions about litigation funding with some believing it promotes frivolous lawsuits while others say it aids plaintiffs who can't afford to bring suit against a defendant.

"The No. 1 cause of nuclear verdicts is plaintiffs lawyers," said Robert Tyson, who has sought to rally the defense bar against rising verdicts and settlements.

Six states account for nearly 65% of the nuclear verdicts across the U.S.

This case has brought a larger legal question in Massachusetts of whether an insurance company, and under what circumstances, has a right to recoup defense costs provided to an insured.

The causes behind the social inflation theory are numerous, but one of them is that attorney advertising affects the public in unexpected ways, according to some defense lawyers.

Former MLB pitcher Clay Buchholz's purchase of a rider to cover the all-risk policy's mold exclusion doesn't cover the infestation that destroyed his mansion.

Critics of the role of litigation funding say it causes trials and other proceedings to run longer, raising the costs of litigation.

The Supreme Court has entertained a wide variety of maritime cases with issues including a limitation of liability defense and cases involving the scope of marine terms.