Today Lex Machina is announcing enhancements to their  COVID-19  tracking tool. Earlier this year Lex Machina launch the COVID-19 Impact Analyzer and has continued publishing a series of blog posts which explain trends in COVID-19  litigation In federal courts.

The COVID-19 case tag
Lex Machina has created a new case tag for COVID-19 which allows researchers to analyze a subset of cases in which claims which were caused directly or indirectly by the corona virus. Since January 1 almost 4000 cases have been filed in federal district courts due to COVID-19. Case filings peaked in May at 800 and have tapered down to the 600 in August. The majority of COVID-19 cases have been filed for claims involving insurance (698 cases), contract (696 cases) and unemployment (198 cases).

COVID-19 impact analyzer updates. Users can track  Covid-19 case trends using biweekly, monthly or year to date increments. The app is available to the public and analyzes case filings, court activity in case it’s caused by COVID-19 in the federal district courts.

Compared to 2019 case filings are up in contracts insurance, patent, product liability and securities.

The business interruption case tag

Lex Machina developed a business interruption case tag to enable users to review the progress of cases Involving lost income or extra expenses due to COVID-19 related business interruption.

YTD COVID-19 Case Filings in Federal Court

Prior to the pandemic, only 300-500 business interruption cases have been filed in federal courts were filed each year. In the first half of 2020 there were almost 700 cases were filed. “These tools artists are a big step in working to quantify, track and analyze the impact of COVID-19 on the federal court system, said Rachel Bailey, Data Relations Manager of Lex Machina. “With practitioners facing unprecedented challenges, It is especially important to be able to quickly and easily research and understand activity in specific courts, what cases are working their way through the system, and how current activity compares to previous trends.“

Tracking updates in COVID-19 cases in court activity webcast

On October 1st Lex Machina will host a Webcast discussing COVID-19 litigation trends and the new tracking features. Register the Webcast here.