Missouri Supreme Court is considering whether to overturn limits on how much money people can be awarded in medical malpractice cases.
The case challenges a 2005 law that set a flat $350,000 cap for non-economic damages, such as for pain and suffering. Missouri’s previous limit had been $579,000, with an annual adjustment for inflation.
The 2005 law was a priority of then-Gov. Matt Blunt and the Republican-led Legislature. They said stricter limits were needed on medical malpractice lawsuits to hold down the cost of liability insurance for doctors and other medical providers.