ATLANTA (CN) — Surrounded by supporting state business leaders and lobbyists, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed two pieces of legislation limiting civil lawsuits into law on Monday.
"In the end, both of these bills accomplished our goal of leveling the playing field in Georgia’s courtrooms and ensuring our business environment remains the best in the nation. Senate Bill 68 and 69 reign Georgia into alignment with neighboring states and protect the rights of both sides to a fair trial," Kemp said during the signing ceremony at the state Capitol.
One of them is Senate Bill 68, a comprehensive revision of provisions regarding civil practice, evidentiary matters, damages and liability in tort actions.…
However, Democratic lawmakers and personal injury attorneys opposed the overhaul efforts, arguing the legislation favors insurance companies at the expense of Georgia's consumers and that awarding large jury verdicts is the mechanism that tort law uses to hold negligent companies accountable.
According to the Center for Justice & Democracy at the New York Law School, decades of studies examining insurance data show that tort law limits do not lower insurance premiums and that states with little or no tort law restrictions experience the same level of insurance rates as those states that enact severe restrictions on victims’ rights.
Georgia’s rising premiums result from other factors such as inflation, increased weather-related damages, and crime, not litigation, according to personal injury attorneys Zach and Melissa Meeks.
They added that insurance companies have not provided verifiable data and have remained silent on record profits in recent years.
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The Center for Justice & Democracy is the only national consumer organization in the country exclusively dedicated to protecting our civil justice system. If you'd like more information, please contact us.
