Running a small business in Alabama takes grit, hustle, and no shortage of faith. But lately, it feels like no matter how hard we work, we’re always one lawsuit away from losing everything. That’s not just my story. It’s the reality for thousands of business owners across the state.
Let me be clear: if someone is harmed, they deserve their day in court. But that’s not what I’m talking about. There is a growing trend of frivolous lawsuits, inflated injury claims, and out-of-state legal firms coming into Alabama looking to make a quick buck at our expense.
I’ve had to pay more for liability insurance every year, because the system is rigged to expect lawsuits. That cost gets passed on to my customers, my employees, and ultimately makes it harder for me to grow and create jobs.
Other southern states have started cleaning up their legal systems. Florida, for instance, took on predatory litigation financing and reformed their laws to combat lawsuit abuse. The result? Lower insurance premiums and a better business climate. Georgia passed legislation to discourage frivolous lawsuits and bring some fairness back to the courtroom.
Why can’t Alabama do the same?
We need laws that prevent people who are mostly at fault from collecting payouts, stop third-party litigation funders from turning our legal system into a casino, and require transparency in how legal settlements are calculated, especially inflated medical damages that have nothing to do with actual costs.
Without reforms, small business owners like me are stuck footing the bill for a broken system. It’s both frustrating and unsustainable.
Our lawmakers in Montgomery need to step up. They need to listen to the people who are keeping this state running, not the trial lawyers getting rich off the system. We want fairness. We want predictability. And we want the freedom to build our businesses without the constant fear of legal exploitation.
If Alabama is serious about lowering the cost of living, creating jobs, and staying competitive with our neighbors, then fixing our lawsuit system by eliminating lawsuit abuse should be at the top of the agenda.
Enough is enough. Let’s bring some common sense back to our courts and give small businesses a fair shot to succeed.
Signed,
Will Meacham, Owner
Midtown Pizza Kitchen
Montgomery/Prattvilla
