The RAND Institute for Civil Justice uses empirical and objective research methods to search out the root causes of system problems and identify the best fixes. We find common ground among adversaries, and interpret findings for policymakers. Our work aims to make the system more efficient and equitable for all, protecting society from the economic and social costs of a system that could become arbitrary and capricious.
Who might face civil liability if autonomous vehicles (AVs) are hacked to steal data or inflict mayhem, injuries, and damage? How will the civil justice and insurance systems adjust to handle such claims? RAND researchers addressed these questions to help those in the automotive, technology, legal, and insurance industries prepare for the shifting roles and responsibilities that the era of AVs may bring.
Existing civil liability law is flexible enough to address most hacked autonomous vehicle claims. Manufacturers and operators will need to stay abreast of attacks and take precautions to avoid similar attacks and reduce liability exposure.
Businesses operating overseas have inadequate tools for assessing business bribery risk and their potential risk of violating various anti-corruption laws. This report introduces a new index, the TRACE Matrix, for business bribery risk assessment. The index provides a quick and useful guide for businesses operating overseas based on a conceptual model of bribery risk and supported by data specific to firms.
Thousands of data breaches occur each year with some costing millions of dollars. Consequently, cyber insurance has grown rapidly in the past decade. In this research, we conduct the first rigorous qualitative study of actual insurance policies.
This report presents new estimates of wage loss for workers in California who suffered a workplace injury or illness in 2014–2015 and compares these estimates with trends before, during, and after the Great Recession. The authors matched injured workers with control workers in the same firm at the time of injury with similar characteristics and analyzed the impact of injury on labor market outcomes, including earnings and employment.
Third-party liens have increasingly become an issue in resolving mass litigation events. This is potentially problematic if liens become sufficiently burdensome or costly that potential litigants do not pursue cases. This paper examines the different types of health care liens and trends in prevalence, as well as how liens have changed the landscape of claim resolution.
This report describes access to medical care among injured workers in the state of California, as mandated by Labor Code Section 5307.2. The authors analyze administrative and medical service bill data to examine changes over time for measures related to access to care for injured workers.
This report presents new estimates of wage loss for workers in California who suffered a workplace injury or illness in 2013 and compares these estimates with trends before, during, and after the Great Recession. The authors matched injured workers with control workers in the same firm at the time of injury with similar characteristics and analyzed the impact of injury on labor market outcomes, including earnings and employment.
California's Return-to-Work Supplement Program (RTWSP) is a new benefit for permanently disabled workers who suffer disproportionately high earnings loss in comparison with their workers' compensation benefits. The RTWSP provides a one-time $5,000 payment to workers who cannot return to work following a permanently disabling workplace injury. RAND researchers evaluated the program's performance and identified options for improving the RTWSP.
The RAND Institute for Civil Justice held a workshop titled "Rethinking Insurance and Liability in the Transformative Age of Autonomous Vehicles," which examined the implications of autonomous vehicle technology for insurance and liability regimes. This conference proceeding summarizes key issues from the event and presents recommendations for future research.
