Perhaps you've seen the "Stella Awards" on the Internet; these supposedly real examples of lawsuit abuse are named after Stella Liebeck of McDonalds fame. The Stella Awards are fake. I've decided to create the "Greg Abbott Awards", after the hypocritical Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott.

In 1984, Greg Abbott was jogging in the wrong place at the wrong time, and a tree fell on him while he was jogging and partially paralyzed him – he's in a wheelchair today.

Greg Abbott hired Texas attorney Don Riddle to sue the homeowner of the tree, and a company who once trimmed the tree.

Don Riddle obtained a settlement for Mr. Abbott that may exceed $10 million in his lifetime. He receives yearly payments, and according to this article, Mr. Abbott received $300,000 in 2001 alone.

Surprisingly, Greg Abbott has become a major champion for tort reform. As a Supreme Court justice in Texas appointed by George W. Bush, Mr. Abbott helped push a tort reform agenda. Here's what Don Riddle, Mr. Abbott's attorney has to say: "People who sadly find themselves in Greg Abbott's position today will not have the same access to obtaining compensation that Mr. Abbott had. The difference is the tort reform laws that have come into place." Had the tort reform laws Mr. Abbott advocates been in place in 1984, Mr. Abbott would not receive $300,000 or more every year of his life. Why then, is it fair for Mr. Abbott to receive millions of dollars in pain and suffering – and mental anguish – but it's not fair for other Texans?

The Texas Observer has even more details about the hypocrisy of Greg Abbott. For example, here's what Greg Abbott had to say about Kirk Watson's competing campaign for attorney general: "My opponent, a former Mayor of Austin, is a liberal plaintiff personal injury trial lawyer who’s made millions suing doctors, hospitals, businessmen and women," Greg Abbott is just one of many conservative Republicans who head straight for "liberal plaintiff personal injury trial lawyers" like Mr. Watson when they're injured.

This article at the Austin Chronicle calls Greg Abbott "[T]he most reliably pro-corporate vote on the consistently pro-corporate court." While another article, also from the Austin Chronicle says that "Abbott's judicial achievement list might have been drawn directly from the corporate-friendly agenda of the Texans for Lawsuit Reform."

So, with a little background information about Greg Abbott, you can certainly understand why I've decided to honor tort reform hypocrites with an award in his name. Look for the first actual award sometime next week. There are so many tort reform hypocrites, I'll have a hard time figuring out who first to honor.