Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has signed on to a letter with 20 other attorneys general asking the U.S. Congress to grant businesses legal protections against frivolous COVID-19 lawsuits.
The letter was primarily authored by Georgia Attorney General Christopher Carr, and all of its signatories are members of the Republican Party.
The undersigned attorneys general believe the “COVID-19 pandemic is likely to create a surge in civil litigation targeting well- intentioned businesses.”
Their stated goal is to “restart our free enterprise system, safely and appropriately.”
Governor Kay Ivey on May 8 used the powers her office is granted during a State of Emergency to extend the amount of liability protections to Alabama’s businesses and health care providers.
Those protections are due to expire the same day the State of Emergency does.
The letter to which Marshall affixed his name argues the United States “is in need of a common-sense framework to provide liability protections for much-needed goods and services while still ensuring victims are able to seek legal redress and compensation where appropriate.”
The letter also states that “[c]ivil liability protections should not, however, be extended to businesses engaging in willful misconduct, reckless infliction of harm or intentional infliction of harm.”
“It is imperative that we preserve America’s ability to manufacture and provide vital goods and services, while still ensuring that victims are able to seek appropriate legal remedies,” said Attorney General Marshall in a release.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.