Medical Malpractice Damage Caps by State
Compare medical malpractice damage caps across the U.S. Hover over any state for economic and non-economic damage caps, and click for more detailed information. Scroll down for a list of caps by state.
Medical malpractice suits have been blamed for rising healthcare costs as physicians have had to purchase more expensive insurance policies in order to protect themselves from high jury awards. To some degree, allowing medical malpractice lawsuits is necessary to protect patients from negligence by doctors, but most states have decided that there is a reasonable limit to what a patient should receive if they’re injured by a doctor’s malpractice.
Only 16 states haven’t enacted legislation placing caps on medical malpractice claims. 29 states have placed limits on non-economic damages only. In those states, there is a cap on what can be awarded for things like pain and suffering, but there is still no limit to what a patient can recover for verifiable economic losses like medical costs and lost income. In the remaining five states, there is a single umbrella limit on all damages including both economic and non-economic losses. These caps range from $250,000 in Indiana to $2,500,000 in Nebraska.
Medical Malpractice Caps Map (Kaire)
Click a state for more information…
| Alabama Economic: None Non-economic: None | Alaska Economic: None Non-economic: $250,000 | Arizona Economic: None Non-economic: None | Arkansas Economic: None Non-economic: None |
| California Economic: None Non-economic: $250,000 | Colorado Economic: $1,000 Non-economic: $300,000 | Connecticut Economic: None Non-economic: None | Delaware Economic: None Non-economic: None |
| District of Columbia Economic: None Non-economic: None | Florida Economic: None Non-economic: $750,000* | Georgia Economic: None Non-economic: $350,000 | Hawaii Economic: None Non-economic: $370,000 |
| Idaho Economic: None Non-economic: $250,000 | Illinois Economic: None Non-economic: $500,000 | Indiana Umbrella: $250,000* | Iowa Economic: None Non-economic: None |
| Kansas Economic: None Non-economic: None | Kentucky Economic: None Non-economic: None | Louisiana Umbrella: $500,000* | Maine Umbrella: $500,000* |
| Maryland Economic: None Non-economic: $755,000 | Massachusetts Economic: None Non-economic: $500,000 | Michigan Economic: None Non-economic: $433,000 | Minnesota Economic: None Non-economic: None |
| Mississippi Economic: None Non-economic: $500,000 | Missouri Economic: None Non-economic: $250,000 | Montana Economic: None Non-economic: $250,000 | Nebraska Umbrella: $2,445,000 |
| Nevada Economic: None Non-economic: $350,000 | New Hampshire Economic: None Non-economic: None | New Jersey Economic: None Non-economic: None | New Mexico Umbrella: $600,000 |
| New York Economic: None Non-economic: None | North Carolina Economic: None Non-economic: $500,000* | North Dakota Economic: None * Non-economic: $500,000 | Ohio Economic: None Non-economic: $250,000* |
| Oklahoma Economic: None Non-economic: $350,000 | Oregon Economic: None Non-economic: $500,000* | Pennsylvania Economic: None Non-economic: None* | Rhode Island Economic: None Non-economic: None |
| South Carolina Economic: None Non-economic: $350,000 | South Dakota Economic: None Non-economic: $500,000 | Tennessee Economic: None Non-economic: $750,000* | Texas Economic: None Non-economic: $250,000* |
| Utah Economic: None Non-economic: $550,000* | Vermont Umbrella: $2,150,000 | Virginia Economic: None Non-economic: None | Washington Economic: None Non-economic: None |
| West Virginia Economic: None Non-economic: $250,000* | Wisconsin Economic: None Non-economic: $750,000* | Wyoming Economic: None Non-economic: None |