When a doctor’s negligence leads to a patient suffering injuries or illnesses, the patient can sue the medical professional for malpractice. Medical malpractice lawsuits allow patients to recover compensation for their injuries or illnesses while holding doctors responsible for their mistakes.
But how much in damages can you recover in a medical malpractice lawsuit? Nevada’s laws on the damage cap have recently changed. What are these changes, and how do they affect medical malpractice lawsuits?
Changes to Nevada’s damage cap for medical malpractice lawsuits
Before the changes, Nevada restricted the amount of noneconomic damages an individual can claim from a medical malpractice lawsuit to $350,000. But legislators last month amended state laws governing the cap to raise the limit by more than double the original cap to $750,000.
Noneconomic damages include a patient’s pain and distress from malpractice-related injuries or illnesses.
But the new cap won’t immediately apply. Starting next year, the $350,000 cap will increase by $80,000 annually over the next five years until it hits $750,000 in 2028. Then from 2028 onwards, the cap will increase by a flat rate of 2.1% per year.
The amount of economic damages claimants can recover in a medical malpractice lawsuit will continue to have no cap.
While the noneconomic damages cap has been raised, there’s no guarantee that a patient can recover the full $450,000 from the doctor they’re suing. Anyone planning to file a medical malpractice lawsuit should consider consulting a legal professional. Attorneys can discuss how state laws can apply to a patient’s case and realistically determine the damages a claimant should seek.
