The Constitutionality of Tort Reform Damage Caps

Recently, there have been indications that plaintiffs in California medical malpractice actions may renew a constitutional attack on the provisions of the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA), the tort reform legislation that has governed medical malpractice litigation in California for nearly 25 years. The focus of these recent attacks is MICRA's $250,000 limit on noneconomic damages.

34 minute read February 26, 2009 at 06:49 AM
By
David M. Axelrad And David S. Ettinger
The Constitutionality of Tort Reform Damage Caps

Like many states, California has legislation in place limiting the amounts medical malpractice claimants can recover in noneconimic damages (pain and suffering).

This premium content is locked for LawJournalNewsletters subscribers only

ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE SINGLE SOURCE OF OBJECTIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS, PRACTICAL INSIGHTS, AND NEWS IN LawJournalNewsletters

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

Already have an account? Sign In Now

For enterprise-wide or corporate access, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or call 1-877-256-2473.

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2026 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Continue Reading

Adverse Possessor Provided Insufficient Evidence to Support TackingTown’s Installation of Guardrails Did Not Constitute a TakingMortgagee Entitled to Deficiency JudgmentLandowner Adequately Alleged Trespass During Renovation

August 13, 2026

Agentic AI introduces risks that are novel and complex, but the most effective response is a familiar one. Zero Trust answers the problem of when an AI agent misfires on its own by constraining what an agent can do rather than betting on how it will behave.

July 31, 2026