We're Back: The Truth about John Stossel and Tort Reform

It's been a busy 2011 for the folks at GTLA. With so much going on in the General Assembly this past spring, we've admittedly not done a very good job updating the blog. We are back though, so stay tuned.

Our first post is a guest Post on Tort Reform and John Stossel:

From http://www.goodgeorgialawyer.com/2011/06/john-stossel-has-been-reportin.html

John Stossel Tort Reform Propaganda Seeks To Brainwash & Attack Our Constitutional Right to a Jury & Civil Justice

If your Constitutional right as an American to bear arms (2nd amendment),to be free from search and seizure by the government (4th amendment) or your right to freedom of religion (1st amendment) was under attack---what would you do?

Fortunately, our great Constitution has set up a mechanism to enforce the protection of our rights through the 7th amendment. The 7th amendment insures our right to justice through the civil jury system. This means if someone violates our life and liberty (kills us or injures us seriously) or violates our rights and protections under the law---the way we can protect ourselves, enforce our rights, and hold wrongdoers accountable for the harms they've caused is through the civil justice jury system. Rather then taking matters into your own hands through violent means, our great country has set up a civil justice system that allows us to protect ourselves against those who might seek to violate our rights---whether they are a big corporation or a big government. Under the eyes of the law, the little guy and the powerless have a tool for standing up against injustice through the civil jury system--a constitutional right established in our 7th amendment.

Unfortunately over the past decade-- through a high priced publicity campaign funded by big corporate interests---- Americans have been incessantly subjected to an ever constant barrage of brainwashing propaganda which seeks to convince the public of a perversion that attacks the foundation of one of our most important Constitutional rights: the civil justice system, the very foundation of the 7th amendment and the primary tool we have to protect ourselves from violations of these rights.

This publicity campaign has succeeded for the most part in having many Americans believe that defendants who injure or kill people due to acts of wrongdoing or negligence shouldn't have to be held accountable because there are too many "frivolous lawsuits" or to stop "insurance rates from going up"---both patently false arguments which have been scientifically disproven.

John Stossel is a good example of someone who has bought this lie hook line and sinker and continues to perpetuate it through his hogwash "reporting" on attorneys and lawsuits. The problem is that Stossel is very hypocritical and plain inaccurate when it comes to this issue.

Hypocritical because he has had no problem in suing folks himself---unfortunately not due to legitimate reasons, for example when someone is being held accountable for injuring or killing someone due to their wrongful acts (i.e. when a company lies to consumers about a product that kills), but only when he himself was acting stupid-- i.e.goaded one of the wrestling pros into slapping him (Stossel) during an interview and then sued the wrestler.

Stossel does more harm to the American justice system and contributes to the ever present attack against our basic Constitutional rights enforced through our 7th amendment civil justice system with his clearly biased tone.

--From GTLA - well said.