The Medical Profession –
More Protection for Negligence
Than Any Profession in the Country
The following is a list of major tort restrictions enacted by states, each of which takes away the rights of patients injured by medical negligence, makes it more difficult for them to obtain fair compensation, and makes it harder to hold accountable those responsible.
No profession in the country currently has more legal protection for their negligence than the medical profession. Do they really need more?
And if the system is not working well for patients, here’s the reason why:
Alabama
87: med mal cap, noneconomic (but declared unconstitutional in 91)
87: med mal cap, total damages (but declared unconstitutional in 95)
87: punitive cap (but declared unconstitutional in 93)
87: collateral source (declared unconstitutional in part in 96, but then overruled in 2000)
99: punitive cap
Alaska
86: cap, noneconomic
86: joint and several liability
86: collateral source rule
88: joint and several liability (ballot initiative)
97: cap, noneconomic
97: punitive cap
97: prejudgment interest
Arizona
Pre-1985: med mal collateral source
87: joint and several
89: med mal structured settlements (but declared unconstitutional in 94)
Arkansas
Pre-1985: medical malpractice structured settlements
03: punitive cap
03: joint and several liability
California
Pre-1985: med mal cap, noneconomic; med mal collateral source; med mal contingency fees; med mal structured settlements
86: joint and several liability (ballot initiative)
Colorado
86: cap, noneconomic
86: joint and several liability
86: punitive cap
86: collateral source
88: med mal cap, non economic and all damages
88: med mal statute of repose
88: med mal structured settlements
92: med mal collateral source
03: med mal cap, noneconomic
Connecticut
Pre-1985: punitive cap, products
85: med mal collateral source
86: joint and several (i.e. proportional) liability
86: contingency fees
86: structured settlements
Delaware
Pre-1985: collateral source; med mal contingency fees; med mal structured settlements
District of Columbia
Pre-1985: collateral source
Florida
86: cap, noneconomic (but declared unconstitutional in 1987)
86: joint and several liability
86: collateral source
86: med mal structured settlements
86: contingency fees
86: punitive cap
88: med mal cap, noneconomic (depending on arbitration)
99: punitive cap
03: med mal cap, noneconomic
Georgia
87: punitive cap
87: joint and several liability
87: collateral source (but declared unconstitutional in 91)
03: prejudgment interest
Hawaii
86: cap, noneconomic
86: joint and several liability (except medical products)
86: collateral source (liens)
Idaho
87: cap, noneconomic
87: joint and several liability (except medical products)
87: structured settlements
90: collateral source
03: cap, noneconomic
03: punitive cap
03: joint and several liability, medical products
Illinois
Pre-1985: med mal punitive damages abolished; med mal collateral source
85: medical malpractice structured settlements
85: med mal contingency fees
95: cap, noneconomic (but declared unconstitutional in 97)
95: joint and several liability (but declared unconstitutional in 97)
95: punitive cap (but declared unconstitutional in 97)
Indiana
Pre-1985: joint and several liability
86: collateral source
93: med mal cap, all damages
93: med mal contingency fee
95: punitive cap
Iowa
Pre-1985: joint and several liability; med mal collateral source
86: structured settlements
87: collateral source
87: prejudgment interest
87: structured settlements
97: joint and several liability
97: prejudgment interest
Kansas
85: med mal punitive cap (but expired in 88)
86: med mal cap (but declared unconstitutional in 88)
86: med mal structured settlements (but declared unconstitutional in 88)
87: cap, noneconomic
87: punitive cap
88: cap, noneconomic
88: collateral source (but declared unconstitutional in 93)
Kentucky
88: joint and several liability (but codified common law rule)
88: collateral source (but declared unconstitutional in 95)
Louisiana
Pre-1985: med mal cap; med mal structured settlements (Patients Comp. fund); joint and several liability
87: joint and several liability
87: prejudgment interest
96: joint and several liability
03: med mal cap, noneconomic, for cases against nursing homes
Maine
85: med mal structured settlements
85: med mal contingency fees
88: prejudgment interest
89: med mal collateral source
Maryland
Pre-1985: collateral source
86: cap, noneconomic
86: structured settlements
Massachusetts
86: med mal cap, noneconomic
86: med mal collateral source
86: med mal contingency fees
Michigan
86: med mal cap, noneconomic
86: collateral source
86: structured settlements
86: prejudgment interest
87: joint and several liability
93: med mal cap, noneconomic
95: joint and several liability
Minnesota
86: cap, noneconomic (but repealed in 90)
86: collateral source
86: prejudgment interest
88: joint and several liability
Mississippi
89: joint and several liability
98: med mal statute of repose
02: med mal cap, noneconomic
02: joint and several liability, med mal
04: med mal cap, noneconomic
04: cap, noneconomic
04: punitive cap
04: joint and several liability
Missouri
86: med mal cap, noneconomic
86: med mal structured settlements
87: joint and several liability
87: collateral source
Montana:
87: joint and several liability (but declared unconstitutional in 94)
87: collateral source
95: med mal cap, noneconomic
95: med mal structured settlements
97: joint and several liability
03: punitive cap
Nebraska
Pre-1985: collateral source
Pre-1985: med mal cap, all damages (cap increased in 92, 03)
86: prejudgment interest (but improved prior standard)
92: joint and several liability (but improved prior standard)
Nevada
Pre-1985: med mal collateral source
87: joint and several liability
89: punitive cap
02: med mal cap, noneconomic
02: joint and several liability
04: med mal cap, noneconomic (initiative)
04: joint and several liability (initiative)
04: structured settlements (initiative)
New Hampshire
86: cap, noneconomic (but declared unconstitutional in 91)
86: punitive damages abolished
89: joint and several liability
95: prejudgment interest
01: prejudgment interest
New Jersey
Pre-1985: contingency fees
87: joint and several liability
87: collateral source
95: punitive cap
95: joint and several liability
New Mexico
87: joint and several liability (but codified common law)
92: med mal structured settlement
92: med mal cap (except punitive damages)
New York
86: joint and several liability
86: collateral source
86: structured settlements
86: med mal contingency fees
03: structured settlements
North Carolina
95: punitive cap
North Dakota
87: joint and several liability
87: collateral source
87: structured settlements
93: punitive cap
95: med mal cap, noneconomic
Ohio
87: joint and several liability
87: structured settlements
96: cap, noneconomic (but declared unconstitutional in 99)
96: joint and several liability (but declared unconstitutional in 99)
96: punitive cap (but declared unconstitutional in 99)
96: collateral source (but declared unconstitutional in 99)
96: prejudgment interest
03: med mal cap, noneconomic
03: joint and several liability
03: collateral source, med mal
04: cap, noneconomic
04: punitive cap
04: collateral source
04: prejudgment interest
Oklahoma:
86: prejudgment interest
95: punitive cap
03: med mal cap, noneconomic
03: collateral source
03: prejudgment interest, med mal
04: med mal cap, noneconomic
04: joint and several liability
04: prejudgment interest
Oregon
87: cap, noneconomic (but declared unconstitutional in 99)
87: joint and several liability
87: med mal punitive damages abolished against doctors
87: collateral source
95: joint and several liability
Pennsylvania
Pre-1985: med mal collateral source
96: med mal punitive cap
02: joint and several liability
02: collateral source
02: structured settlements
Rhode Island
86: med mal collateral source
87: prejudgment interest
South Carolina
Pre-1985: med mal structured settlements (Patient Comp. Fund with annual cap)
South Dakota
Pre-1985: med mal collateral source
Pre-1985: med mal cap, noneconomic
86: med mal cap, economic (but declared unconstitutional 96)
86: med mal structured settlements
87: joint and several liability
Tennessee
Pre-1985: med mal collateral source
Texas
87: med mal cap (but declared unconstitutional in 88, although allowed for wrongful death in 90)
87: joint and several liability
87: punitive cap
87: prejudgment interest
95: joint and several liability
95: punitive cap
03: med mal cap, noneconomic
03: joint and several liability
03: prejudgment interest
Utah
85: med mal collateral source
86: med mal cap, noneconomic
86: joint and several liability
86: med mal structured settlements
99: joint and several liability
Vermont:
Pre-85: joint and several liability
Virginia
Pre-1985: med mal cap (although cap raised in 83 and 99)
87: med mal (children injured at birth, no right to sue, no noneconomic or punitive damages)
87: punitive cap
Washington
Pre-1985: punitive cap; med mal collateral source
86: cap, noneconomic damages (but declared unconstitutional in 89)
86: joint and several liability
86: structured settlements
04: prejudgment interest
West Virginia
86: med mal cap, noneconomic
86: med mal joint and several liability
03: med mal cap, noneconomic
03: joint and several liability
Wisconsin
Pre-1985: med mal (Patient Compensation Fund)
86: med mal cap, noneconomic (but expired 90)
86: med mal contingency fees
95: med mal cap, noneconomic
95: joint and several liability
95: med mal structured settlements
95: med mal collateral source
Wyoming
86: joint and several liability
Updated: April 8, 2005
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