One Mayor Says Such Lawsuits Could Bankrupt His City

A bill passed by a subcommittee in the Georgia House of Representatives would offer cities the same protection from lawsuits stemming from aviation accidents as is afforded to counties.

The measure is in response to an accident which occurred in February of last year in which an airplane went down at Thompson-McDuffie Regional Airport in Thompson, GA. Five people were fatally injured in the accident, but the two pilots survived. The families of those fatally injured and one of the two pilots has sued the city as well as the county.

The Mayor of Thompson, Ken Usry, is concerned that jury awards or settlements could exceed the $5 million in insurance that the city has, and could be "financially devastating" for the city, according to a report in the Augusta Chronicle. A 20-year-old law gives immunity to the county, but not to the city, Usry said.

The bill was sponsored by GA State Representative Barry Flemming. He said he wants to make things equal for the two types of local governments.

Usry said that even if the law passes, it will not help him in the current situation. But he said if it does not, it will make him less open to cooperation with the county on joint projects in the future.

The subcommittee sent the bill to the full House Judiciary Committee in the Georgia legislature.

FMI: www.house.ga.gov