COVID-19 Liability Shield Laws Enacted in Several US States

A patchwork of states have enacted legislation to limit civil liability for COVID-19-related claims, offering immunity in addition to defenses and rights that already exist under the law. Many of the laws protect businesses and property owners from liability suits due to COVID-19 exposure or transmission, limiting the lawsuits to those that reach gross negligence, willful or wanton conduct, recklessness, intentional misconduct, and the like. In this Legal Update, we summarize these laws.