Small businesses are central to any thriving community. From small detailing shops like mine to local restaurants, cities are better off where local businesses are allowed to grow.

Unfortunately, Florida’s small businesses face a massive obstacle preventing them from succeeding: lawsuit abuse.

When mom-and-pop shops that dot our communities are slapped with lawsuits for every imaginable reason, intense time and resources are needed to fight or settle the suit.

The economic damage dealt by frivolous lawsuits is well-documented. One recent study from Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse shows Tallahassee alone loses nearly $200 million to lawsuit abuse each year, and that hurts everyone.

As we are dealing with the COVID-19 crisis, I am already seeing ads on tv with lawyers trying to take advantage of the medical carnage.  That is going to just add more of a burden to our recovery.

If we really want Florida to recover quickly, the legislature needs to step in and stop lawsuit abuse now.

Tom Wheeler is the President and CEO of Auto Details, a custom detailing business located in Tallahassee, Florida.