An in-depth look at state laws limiting compensation for medical malpractice plaintiffs.

Well over half of U.S. states have passed some form of a law that limits the amount of money a medical malpractice plaintiff can receive after a successful lawsuit -- meaning one in which the jury finds that a health care provider harmed a patient by committing medical negligence.

Most of these laws place a “cap” on non-economic damages only, which includes compensation for things like “pain and suffering.” But a few state legislatures have passed an umbrella cap on all forms of damages in medical malpractice cases, including compensation for the costs of long-term disability.

To learn more about medical malpractice damages caps in your state, look for it in the list of links below. If you don’t see your state on this list, that means there is currently no statutory cap on damages where you live.