A report released on March 1 by the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) found that the law firm Jacoby & Meyers spent the largest amount of money on advertising in Nevada last year, totaling $12,683,584.
According to the report, Jacoby & Meyers aired approximately 59,192 ads in Nevada last year. Nationwide, law firms spent an estimated $2.4 billion on advertising in 2023. Many of these ads pertain to personal injury or product liability and could rely on “dubious” scientific claims, which can negatively impact consumers. A consumer might see a “doomsday” ad about a medication and stop taking that medication without consulting a healthcare provider. Stopping medical treatment without consulting a professional has led to adverse and even fatal effects for some patients.
ATRA President Sherman “Tiger” Joyce said these ads can be misleading and take advantage of consumers’ emotions, according to a press release. “The proliferation of legal services ads can mislead consumers and undermine public trust in the healthcare system,” Joyce said. “These ads often prey on fears and uncertainties, leading patients to stop taking prescribed medications without consulting their doctors, with potentially fatal consequences.” Joyce added that attorneys engage in these large advertising campaigns to attract more clients and ultimately win larger settlements, meaning the attorneys take away larger contingency fees.
The ad campaigns fuel a large volume of tort litigation, which raises costs for Nevada businesses and residents, according to the press release. Every Nevadan pays an extra “tax” of more than $1,100 every year due to the costs associated with excessive tort litigation. Nevada also loses more than 31,000 jobs annually due to those costs.
Jacoby & Meyers has offices across the U.S., according to the firm’s website. Its practice areas include personal injury, defective medical devices, and motor vehicle accidents.
