This bill amends section 32-42-02 of the North Dakota Century Code, which pertains to liability limits for health care malpractice actions or claims. The legislation increases the cap on noneconomic damages that can be awarded to claimants or their families from five hundred thousand dollars to one million dollars. This limit applies regardless of the number of health care providers or defendants involved in the case or the number of claims related to the injury.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that juries will not be informed of this damages limitation during trials. If a jury awards damages that exceed the one million dollar cap, the court is required to reduce the award to comply with the new limit. This change aims to standardize the compensation awarded in health care malpractice cases while ensuring that juries remain unaware of the statutory cap during their deliberations.

Statutes affected:
INTRODUCED: 32-42-02
Adopted by the House Judiciary Committee: 32-42-02
FIRST ENGROSSMENT: 32-42-02