The Lawsuit Reform Alliance and coalition of advocacy groups in the insurance and building trades industry are calling for limits on jury awards in New York amid a $45 million award that could hurt cash-strapped local governments.

The group filed an amicus brief in the case for personal injury awards to be limited to a predictable and historical range. And the group decried the practice of "anchoring" in these cases, which can lead to higher awards from juries who receive a preliminary amount that can be incrementlly added to. 

"New York juries are returning pain and suffering awards that dwarf prior awards. Injuries are not becoming more extreme," the group wrote in the brief. "Rather, plaintiffs' attorneys are aggressively asking jurors to award extraordinary sums. Attorneys know that 'anchoring' — setting an unjustifiably high amount as a baseline — is highly effective, particularly when sympathetic jurors lack objective means to determine compensation for unquantifiable pain."

At issue is New York City urging an appeals court to lower a $45 million jury award to a woman who was injured in 2011 when a shopping cart was thrown on her from a 79-foot ledge. 

New York City was not named a party in the suit, but is worried the award could set a precedent for future personal injury rulings against local governments or government agencies.