Towers Watson reports 5.1% increase in US tort costs in 2010

The April 2010 Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion and resulting oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico were the key drivers in the 5.1% increase in US tort costs in 2010, according to the 2011 Update on US Tort Cost Trends from Towers Watson. Without the costs from that event, tort costs would have shown an overall decrease of 2.4% for the year, the findings showed.