This bill proposes significant changes to the statute of limitations and damage awards for medical malpractice claims in Minnesota. Specifically, it reduces the statute of limitations for patients or former patients to file malpractice claims against health care providers from four years to two years. Additionally, the bill introduces new provisions that limit the collection of judgments against a health care provider's personal income or assets, allowing such actions only if the provider's conduct was willful and malicious or if they failed to maintain a minimum insurance policy of $1,000,000.

Furthermore, the bill establishes caps on damages awarded in malpractice cases. Economic damages are limited to the actual medical expenses incurred by the plaintiff, while noneconomic damages for pain and suffering are capped at $500,000. The bill also includes a provision that renders inadmissible any statements made by the plaintiff that are intended to coerce a settlement by referencing the provider's personal income or assets. These changes are set to take effect on August 1, 2025, and will apply to actions commenced on or after that date.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 541.076