Ga. lawyer explains threats to Ga. businesses that back tort reform
ATLANTA, Ga. - A Gainesville public injury attorney is responding to claims he is threatening to sue any business that current lawsuit reform legislation under consideration at the Georgia Capitol.
“Let me be clear; nobody is suing merely because someone ed tort reform,” said Ronny Hulsey of Smith Hulsey Law. “That is a mischaracterization and not even a thing.”
“The bill will embolden insurance carriers to deny more claims which will prompt more lawsuits and eventually verdicts against businesses,” Hulsey said. “I don’t want that any more than the businesses do.”
On Wednesday, Hulsey posted this message on his Facebook page:
“I cannot wait to sue businesses who blindly tort reform. Not only will I give you a lesson on how insurance works, but I will punish you for your pathetic attempt to put profits over people… Welcome to the show.”
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Georgia lawmakers continued hearing hours of testimony regarding the impact of liability lawsuits on businesses, consumers and crime victims.
“When I see somebody, a trial attorney that we know are very hellbent on these type of judgements working in their favor saying theses things ... that’s very uncomfortable, very unsettling,” said Avi Wolfe, who owns several affordable housing complexes across metro Atlanta and is currently facing three different lawsuits regarding premises liability.
“I know that being drawn into legal battles is very costly in energy and they can exhaust you financially and emotionally, especially in today’s world where you can sue for anything,” Wolfe said.
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Insurance agents said they’ve seen several posts on social media echoing the same threatening rhetoric to businesses that changes to premises liability laws.
Senate Bill 68, part of Gov. Brian Kemp’s lawsuit reform package, is aimed at helping keep businesses in the state by lowering the risk of massive insurance payouts in court when people sue under liability laws.
Lawmakers are feeling the pressure as well. A senior Kemp advisor said in a podcast in February they would fund campaigns for opponents of lawmakers who did not this bill.
“I look forward to the subcommittee’s age of this important, fair, and transparent legislation for the benefit of all Georgians,” Kemp said.
Hulsey and many lawmakers who oppose tort reform are of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. We reached out to the organization for comment, but did not receive a response.
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