Medical Malpractice Laws by State (2026): Deadlines & Caps
How medical malpractice claims work, plus a state-by-state guide to the deadline to sue, damage caps, and expert-affidavit rules across all 50 states and DC.
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Medical Malpractice Laws
52 articles
Medical Malpractice Laws in Alabama (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Alabama medical malpractice law: 2-year filing deadline, 4-year statute of repose, no damage caps (struck down), and the strict AMLA pleading rules, explained.
6 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Alaska (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Alaska medical malpractice law: 2-year filing deadline with a discovery rule, 10-year repose, a $250,000 noneconomic cap ($400,000 in death cases), explained.
6 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Arizona (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Arizona medical malpractice law: 2-year deadline with a discovery rule, no damage caps (constitutionally barred), and the expert affidavit rule, explained.
6 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Arkansas (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Arkansas medical malpractice in 2026: the strict 2-year deadline (Ark. Code 16-114-203), why the constitution bars damage caps, and the affidavit-of-merit rule.
5 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in California (2026): Deadlines & Caps
California medical malpractice in 2026: the 3-year/1-year deadline (CCP 340.5), the rising MICRA caps ($470,000 injury / $650,000 death), and 90-day notice.
6 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Colorado (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Colorado medical malpractice in 2026: the 2-year deadline and 3-year repose (C.R.S. 13-80-102.5), the new HB24-1472 damage caps, and the certificate of review.
6 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Connecticut (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Connecticut medical malpractice law: a 2-year deadline and 3-year repose under Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-584, the 52-190a good-faith certificate, and no damage caps.
8 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Delaware (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Delaware medical malpractice law: a 2-year deadline (3-year discovery limit) under 18 Del. C. 6856, the 18 Del. C. 6853 affidavit of merit, and no damage caps.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Florida (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Florida medical malpractice law: a 2-year deadline and 4-year repose under Fla. Stat. 95.11, the Chapter 766 pre-suit notice, and no enforceable damages cap.
8 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Georgia (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Georgia medical malpractice in 2026: a 2-year deadline, 5-year repose, NO cap on noneconomic damages after Nestlehutt, and the OCGA 9-11-9.1 expert affidavit.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Hawaii (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Hawaii medical malpractice in 2026: a 2-year discovery deadline, 6-year repose, a $375,000 pain-and-suffering cap, and the required pre-suit panel review.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Idaho (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Idaho medical malpractice in 2026: a 2-year deadline from the act, a wage-indexed noneconomic cap above $500,000, and a required pre-litigation screening panel.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Illinois (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Illinois medical malpractice law in 2026: a 2-year deadline, a 4-year repose limit, no damage cap after Lebron v. Gottlieb, and the Section 2-622 affidavit.
6 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Indiana (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Indiana medical malpractice law in 2026: a 2-year deadline, a $1.8M total damage cap, the Patient's Compensation Fund, and the required medical review panel.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Iowa (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Iowa medical malpractice law in 2026: a 2-year deadline, a 6-year repose limit, the 2023 hard cap on noneconomic damages, and the certificate-of-merit rule.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Kansas (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Kansas medical malpractice law: a 2-year deadline, a 4-year repose limit, and noneconomic damage caps struck down in Hilburn v. Enerpipe (2019). Updated 2026.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Kentucky (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Kentucky medical malpractice: a 1-year deadline, no damage caps (Constitution Sections 54 and 241), and a certificate-of-merit rule. Updated 2026.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Louisiana (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Louisiana medical malpractice: a 1-year deadline (3-year limit), a $500,000 total cap plus future medical, and a required medical review panel. Updated 2026.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Maine (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Maine medical malpractice law: a 3-year deadline that runs from the act, no cap on pain-and-suffering, and a mandatory prelitigation screening panel.
8 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Maryland (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Maryland medical malpractice law: a 5-year/3-year deadline, a noneconomic cap of $920,000 in 2026 that rises $15,000 a year, and a required expert certificate.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Massachusetts (2026): Deadlines
Massachusetts medical malpractice law: a 3-year deadline, a 7-year statute of repose, a $500,000 noneconomic cap with big exceptions, and a required tribunal.
8 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Michigan (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Michigan medical malpractice law in 2026: 2-year deadline, 6-year repose, inflation-adjusted noneconomic caps, affidavit of merit, 182-day notice of intent.
8 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Minnesota (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Minnesota medical malpractice law in 2026: the 4-year deadline, no cap on compensatory damages, the required expert review affidavit, and wrongful death rules.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Mississippi (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Mississippi medical malpractice law in 2026: 2-year deadline, 7-year repose, $500,000 noneconomic cap, 60-day pre-suit notice, expert consultation rules.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Missouri (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Missouri medical malpractice in 2026: the 2-year deadline (RSMo 516.105), reinstated noneconomic caps ($481,493 / $842,614), and the affidavit of merit.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Montana (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Montana medical malpractice in 2026: the 2-year deadline (MCA 27-2-205), the rising $350,000 noneconomic cap, and mandatory Medical Legal Panel review.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Nebraska (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Nebraska medical malpractice in 2026: the 2-year deadline (Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-222), the $2.25 million total damage cap, and the state Excess Liability Fund.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Nevada (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Nevada medical malpractice in 2026: the 3-year/1-year deadline (NRS 41A.097), the rising noneconomic cap ($590,000 under AB 404), and a required affidavit.
6 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in New Hampshire (2026): Deadlines & Caps
New Hampshire medical malpractice in 2026: the 3-year deadline with discovery rule (RSA 508:4) and no damage cap (struck down in Brannigan v. Usitalo).
6 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in New Jersey (2026): Deadlines & Caps
New Jersey medical malpractice in 2026: the 2-year deadline (N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2), no compensatory damage cap, and the required Affidavit of Merit (2A:53A-27).
6 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in New Mexico (2026): Caps
New Mexico medical malpractice law: a 3-year deadline under NMSA 41-5-13 and the tiered, escalating recovery caps in NMSA 41-5-6 (providers vs. hospitals).
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in New York (2026): Deadlines
New York medical malpractice law: a 2.5-year deadline under CPLR 214-a, Lavern's Law for cancer misdiagnosis, a certificate of merit, and no damage cap.
8 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in North Carolina (2026): Caps
North Carolina medical malpractice law: a 3-year deadline, 4-year repose, Rule 9(j) expert certification, and a $712,847 noneconomic damages cap for 2026.
8 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in North Dakota (2026): Deadlines & Caps
North Dakota medical malpractice law: a 2-year deadline and 6-year repose under N.D.C.C. 28-01-18, a $500,000 noneconomic cap, and a 3-month expert affidavit.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Ohio (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Ohio medical malpractice law: a 1-year deadline and 4-year repose under ORC 2305.113, noneconomic caps under ORC 2323.43, and the Civ.R. 10(D)(2) affidavit.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Oklahoma (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Oklahoma medical malpractice law: a 2-year deadline under 76 O.S. 18, NO cap on noneconomic damages after Beason (2019), and no required affidavit of merit.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Oregon (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Oregon medical malpractice law: a 2-year deadline and 5-year repose under ORS 12.110(4), no enforceable cap on personal-injury pain-and-suffering damages.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Pennsylvania (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Pennsylvania medical malpractice law: a 2-year deadline under 42 Pa.C.S. 5524, no cap on damages against private providers, and a required certificate of merit.
8 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Rhode Island (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Rhode Island medical malpractice law: a 3-year deadline under RIGL 9-1-14.1, no statutory damage cap, and no certificate of merit required.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in South Carolina (2026): Caps
South Carolina medical malpractice in 2026: a 3-year deadline, 6-year repose, an inflation-indexed noneconomic cap, plus a Notice of Intent and affidavit.
8 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in South Dakota (2026): Caps
South Dakota medical malpractice in 2026: a strict 2-year occurrence deadline, a $500,000 cap on general (noneconomic) damages, and the slight-gross fault rule.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Tennessee (2026): Caps
Tennessee medical malpractice in 2026: a 1-year deadline, 3-year repose, a $750,000 noneconomic cap ($1M catastrophic), plus pre-suit notice rules.
8 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Texas (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Texas medical malpractice: 2-year deadline, 10-year repose, a $250,000 noneconomic cap on physicians, the Chapter 74 expert report, and pre-suit notice.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Utah (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Utah medical malpractice: a 2-year deadline, a 4-year repose, the $450,000 noneconomic cap (struck down for wrongful death), the panel review and affidavit.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Vermont (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Vermont medical malpractice: a 3-year deadline (2 from discovery), a 7-year repose, a required certificate of merit, and no statutory cap on damages.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Virginia (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Virginia medical malpractice in 2026: the 2-year deadline, the total damage cap of $2.70M rising to $2.75M on July 1, and the certificate of merit.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Washington (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Washington medical malpractice in 2026: the 3-year/1-year deadline, no damage cap (Sofie v. Fibreboard), no certificate of merit, and mandatory mediation.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Washington DC (2026): Deadlines
DC medical malpractice law in 2026: a 3-year deadline, no damage cap, a 90-day pre-suit notice (D.C. Code 16-2802), and the contributory negligence rule.
5 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in West Virginia (2026): Caps & Deadlines
West Virginia medical malpractice in 2026: the 2-year deadline, the $250K/$500K inflation-adjusted non-economic cap, and the screening certificate of merit.
7 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Wisconsin (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Wisconsin medical malpractice law in 2026: a 3-year deadline, a $750,000 noneconomic cap upheld in Mayo (2018), mandatory mediation, and the Compensation Fund.
5 min read
Medical Malpractice Laws in Wyoming (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Wyoming medical malpractice law in 2026: a 2-year deadline, no damage cap (Wyo. Const. art. 10), and the medical review panel repealed effective July 2022.
5 min read