Washington—At a U.S. House subcommittee hear-ing, contractor Jo Wagner testified that the increasing number of "frivolous" lawsuits in the construction industry is jeopardizing small businesses. Wagner is president of CTO Inc. in Harlingen, Texas, and a member of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors National Association. "Lawsuits threaten profitability and my company's ability to compete in the construction sector," she said. "Many of my fellow contractors are responding to the potential for legal action by reducing their work force. Simply, many contracting firms can't afford triple-digit increases in their general liability premiums — that is, if they're lucky enough to get coverage."
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