This bill amends Alaska's current law regarding the limits on damages awarded for personal injury or wrongful death claims. Specifically, it adjusts the maximum allowable damages by introducing inflation adjustments. Under the amended law, the cap for damages arising from a single injury or death is set at $400,000 or the injured person's life expectancy in years multiplied by $8,000, whichever is greater, with these amounts being adjusted for inflation. Additionally, for severe permanent physical impairment or severe disfigurement, the cap is raised to $1,000,000 or the person's life expectancy in years multiplied by $25,000, also subject to inflation adjustments.

The bill establishes a new subsection that mandates the maximum damage amounts specified in the law to be adjusted for inflation based on the Consumer Price Index for urban Alaska since 1997. This adjustment aims to ensure that the damage limits remain relevant and fair over time. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that these new provisions will apply to damages awarded on or after the effective date of the Act.

Statutes affected:
HB0316A, AM HB 316, introduced 02/18/2026: 09.17.010