Maryland cap on noneconomic damages

Cap in Non Medical Malpractice Claims

   
Cause of action arises on or after Limit on all claims from same act or omission Limit on all wrongful death claims with two or more beneficiaries Combined Limit for Wrongful Death and Survival Action
   
10/1/1994 $500,000.00 $750,000.00 $1,250,000.00
10/1/1995 $515,000.00 $772,500.00 $1,287,500.00
10/1/1996 $530,000.00 $795,000.00 $1,325,000.00
10/1/1997 $545,000.00 $817,500.00 $1,362,500.00
10/1/1998 $560,000.00 $840,000.00 $1,400,000.00
10/1/1999 $575,000.00 $862,500.00 $1,437,500.00
10/1/2000 $590,000.00 $885,000.00 $1,475,000.00
10/1/2001 $605,000.00 $907,500.00 $1,512,500.00
10/1/2002 $620,000.00 $930,000.00 $1,550,000.00
10/1/2003 $635,000.00 $952,500.00 $1,587,500.00
10/1/2004 $650,000.00 $975,000.00 $1,625,000.00
10/1/2005 $665,000.00 $997,500.00 $1,662,500.00
10/1/2006 $680,000.00 $1,020,000.00 $1,700,000.00
10/1/2007 $695,000.00 $1,042,500.00 $1,737,500.00
10/1/2008 $710,000.00 $1,065,000.00 $1,775,000.00
10/1/2009 $725,000.00 $1,087,500.00 $1,812,500.00
10/1/2010 $740,000.00 $1,110,000.00 $1,850,000.00
10/1/2011 $755,000.00 $1,132,500.00 $1,887,500.00
10/1/2012 $770,000.00 $1,155,000.00 $1,925,000.00
10/1/2013 $785,000.00 $1,177,500.00 $1,962,500.00
10/1/2014 $800,000.00 $1,200,000.00 $2,000,000.00
10/1/2015   $815,000.00 $1,222,500.00   $2,037,500.00

 

The first column is the pain and suffering cap in both wrongful death and non-wrongful death cases.   The second column is the combined wrongful death cap if there are two or more wrongful death beneficiaries. The third column is the combined number when you add in a survival action.

Why do we bother to list the Maryland cap numbers for injuries that occurred back in the '90s? Two reasons: (1) Under the discovery rule, the statute of limitations may be tolled until plaintiffs know or have reason to know that they have been injured; and, more importantly, (2) minors have additional time to bring a lawsuit in Maryland. This is the cap for pain and suffering damages in non medical-malpractice cases.

Raise your hand if you are a little bit lost in these numbers. They are confusing. The Maryland General Assembly chose to establish a “double cap” in survival and wrongful death claims and allow for a "cap-and-a-half" if there are two or more wrongful death claimants. (The double cap was eliminated from medical malpractice claims in 2005.) Accordingly, there are two different calculations, one for survivor lawsuits and the other for wrongful death claims, but the recovery is limited to the noneconomic damages by multiple wrongful death claimants to 150% of the cap, even if there are more than two wrongful death beneficiaries.

If you are a lawyer or a victim and have questions about the cap, you can give us a call and we would be glad to explain this maze further. You can reach one of our lawyers at 800-553-8082 or contact us on line.

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