In a piece today for Forbes.com, NewTalk participant John P. Avlon discusses the causes and effects of New York City's culture of litigation.

"New York City spends more money on lawsuits than the next five largest American cities—Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix and Philadelphia—combined...[and] now allocates more taxpayer dollars to settling personal-injury lawsuits than it does to parks, transportation, homeless services or the City University system."

Avlon says that 90% of the city's claims are personal injury cases, and that medical malpractice suits are the priciest of these, "draining $145.3 million from city coffers in fiscal year 2008."

Citing a number of outlandish cases—including a man who won $2.3 million for drunkenly stumbling onto subway tracks and losing a leg, and a judge who broke his knee and sued a courthouse and cleaning woman for "negligently using a mop and soapy water"—Avlon argues that the reason New York City is so litigious may be rooted in state laws. "While many states restrict lawsuits against municipalities to state claims courts, which are overseen by only a judge and tend to restrain damages," he explains, "New York allows citizens to sue municipalities in jury trials."

Among his recommendations, Avlon proposes establishing a Court of Claims for municipal cases "to restrain outsize judgments."

Avlon closes his piece with a memorable quote from another NewTalker, former Indianapolis Mayor Steve Goldsmith: "If you can get criminals under control, surely you can get lawyers under control."

Read Sue City at Forbes.com