On Jan. 30, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced a new tort reform package, aimed at reducing lawsuit abuse through Senate Bills 68 and 69.
On Feb. 27, the Georgia Senate advanced Senate Bill 69 with a unanimous vote of 52-0. This bill, called the Georgia Courts Access and Consumer Protection Act, seeks to regulate third-party litigation funding in the state.
On Feb. 28, the Georgia Senate advanced Senate Bill 68 after making changes in section 51-12-1.1. Originally, this section only considered the medical and healthcare expenses actually paid. The changes now allow the jury to hear both the billed amounts and the actual amounts paid, enabling them to decide which is the more reasonable amount of damages. These changes were necessary for the bill’s approval by a vote of 33-21, after two previous failed votes of 21-33.
Both bills are now moving to the Georgia House of Representatives, where reform-minded legislators hold a 100-80 majority.
Sedgwick regularly monitors and reports on disability, leave and workers’ compensation legislation impacting our customers. Click here to see all recent legislative updates.
Tags: Helping people, legal, Legislation, Legislative change, legislative updates, Legislative, regulatory and compliance for carriers, Liability, Liability claims, litigation, litigation trends, View on people, work comp, Workers comp, workers compensation