§ 10-1-255 - Civil actions; effect of written tender of settlement; limitation of actions - Georgia Statutes

O.C.G.A. 10-1-255 (2010)
10-1-255. Civil actions; effect of written tender of settlement; limitation of actions

(a) Any person who sustains or is threatened with competitive injury by reason of a violation of this article may maintain an action in any superior court of this state having jurisdiction over the defendant to enjoin such violation. A successful petitioner shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys' fees and costs of litigation.

(b) In addition to the action provided in subsection (a) of this Code section, any person who sustains a competitive injury by reason of a violation of this article may maintain an action in any court of this state having jurisdiction over the defendant to recover the actual, or special, damages sustained thereby including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys' fees and costs of litigation. A successful claimant under this subsection shall be awarded punitive damages not to exceed $1,000.00 for each day on which the defendant continued to commit the violation of this article resulting in competitive injury after having received from the plaintiff a written notice that the defendant was engaging in such violation. The maximum amount of such punitive damages which may be awarded to any one plaintiff from any one defendant, however, shall be $200,000.00.

(c) A claim for damages for violation of this article may be asserted in an individual action only and may not be the subject of a class action under Code Section 9-11-23 or any other provisions of law. It is the intention of the General Assembly that this prohibition against class actions is an integral substantive provision of this article, and that its unenforceability for any reason in any action shall preclude the recovery of damages in such action.

(d) At any time subsequent to the filing of an action for damages under this article, and prior to any award of such damages, the defendant may make a written tender of settlement to the complaining person. If the complaining person is awarded no damages or less damages than the amount of the written tender of settlement, the complaining person shall under no circumstances be entitled to recover any costs of the litigation, including attorneys' fees, that were incurred after the date of the written tender of settlement. All written tenders of settlement that are made pursuant to this subsection shall be presumed to be offered without prejudice in compromise of a disputed matter.

(e) Any action brought under this article must be brought within two years of the date of the alleged violation. All other actions are forever barred.