The Missouri Chamber of Commerce is encouraging lawmakers to put protections in place for businesses that might be sued by individuals who contracted the coronavirus and believe it occurred at a particular business, according to a press release from the chamber.
“If someone contracts COVID-19, today a lawyer can file a frivolous lawsuit against a Missouri business suggesting the company was the source and cause of the infection, even if the employer was following state and federal safety guidelines,” Daniel P. Mehan, president and CEO of the Missouri Chamber, said in the release.
Three bills have already been filed in the Senate and House that would protect those providing services or goods, and in good faith have abided by all advice to keep people safe during the pandemic.
Mehan said that the potential threat of such lawsuits is one being faced by everyone from businesses to schools and health care providers, according to the release.
“This situation is hurting Missouri’s ability to recover from the pandemic. We regularly hear from employers that they are reluctant to reopen and return to work knowing they could be exposed to frivolous lawsuits," Mehan said.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the number of lawsuits filed against businesses in the U.S. in relation to individuals who contracted the coronavirus has exceeded 1,000, according to the release. While many other states have passed legislation in order to protect businesses that can show they followed all recommended precautions from being sued, Missouri has yet to pass any such laws.
“When the 2021 session convenes, it will be up to Missouri lawmakers to immediately address this issue,” Mehan said in the release.