PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE As the 2021 legislative session finally came to a close as we look towards the future. A future where we will on May 19 our hopes of passing critical lawsuit abuse remain steadfast in our resolve to continue to fight for legislation were also snuffed out. Despite a tremendous this important reform. effort until the very end, we were unable to get the job Our goal is to simply restore done this year which created a very disappointing end fairness and common sense. When a commercial vehicle to a hard-fought battle. The sting of defeat is never a pleasant experience acts wrongfully and causes a especially given the importance of this legislation to crash or injury, it should be held the trucking industry. Every single IMTA member is accountable and those injured impacted by the ongoing efforts by plaintiff attorneys should be compensated. There as they unfairly target the trucking industry to simply is not a trucking company out there that would not stand line their own pockets. We were relentless in our efforts to educate and high- behind that statement. light the necessity of these important lawsuit abuse However, over the last sevreforms. Legislators were attentive, interested and even eral years, unfair litigation sympathetic, but the trial bar was as equally relentless tactics have become more in their efforts and in the end a majority of legislators common. Lawsuits and setsupported trial lawyers. tlements against a trucking Despite the outcome, I could not be prouder of the company that was not at fault leadership provided by IMTA. The number of members in the accident have become BRENDA NEVILLE that made phone calls, sent emails, or had face to face as equally common. These IMTA President & CEO conversations with their legislators hit unprecedented frivolous lawsuits have now levels. Members of all sizes and demographics stepped destabilized the tort system up, often on multiple occasions to engage with their and transformed commercial lawmakers. These important convervehicle accident lawsuits into a profit sations provided the personal and THE LIST OF REPUBLICAN center for plaintiff attorneys. real-life insight that so effectively As a result of this environment, LEGISLATORS THAT highlights the current challenges trucking companies are closing CHOSE TO SIDE WITH every trucking operation is facing their doors, professional truck drivTHE TRIAL BAR VERSUS because of lawsuit abuse. ers are leaving the industry in record TRUCKING CONTINUES The IMTA lobbying team also numbers, and insurance carriers are TO BE REVIEWED AND needs to be recognized for the outexiting the market. In the end we all THE LESSONS LEARNED standing work they did. Dave Scott are impacted as prices for groceries, and Marc Beltrame were unwavering medicine, fuel, and everything else DURING THE 2021 in their commitment to our lawsuit continues to rise. LEGISLATIVE SESSION abuse initiative. They dealt with This is a fight that we cannot give up. WILL BE EXTREMELY significant hurdles and challenges Without trucks, our cities, towns, VALUABLE AS WE FOCUS and communities would fail to thrive, almost daily as this battle ensued. ON OUR STRATEGY They are effective, reliable, and, and would lack the essential necessiGOING FORWARD. ties to survive. Trucks are central to committed advocates for Iowa’s trucking industry. our state and nation’s economy and The list of Republican legislators that chose to side our way of life. Every time a plaintiff attorney makes a with the trial bar versus trucking continues to be decision to go after a trucking company in pursuit of a reviewed and the lessons learned during the 2021 legis- frivolous and unnecessary lawsuit, those impacts will be lative session will be extremely valuable as we focus on felt by all of us every single day. This is a critically important fight that we will not our strategy going forward. This loss, while disappointing, is merely a setback…an give up. opportunity for us to learn and strengthen our position
ISSUE 2, 2021
5
