Bagley Et Al. v. Shortt Et Al. and Vice

1. (a) In an action for bodily injury and wrongful death, the jury returned a verdict of $1,500,000 in compensatory damages
and $14,000,000 in punitive damages. 1 The trial court held that OCGA § 51-12-5.1 (g) 2 was constitutional,
and reduced the punitive damages award to a total of $1,000,000 ($250,000 to each plaintiff against each defendant). (b) If punitive damages lawfully may be eliminated, as we held in Teasley v. Mathis, 243 Ga. 561 (255 S.E.2d 57) (1979) (constitutionality
of elimination of exemplary damages under no-fault automobile insurance law is not violative of due process, equal protection,
or right of access to courts), then they lawfully may be circumscribed, as by OCGA § 51-12-5.1 (g).