Friday, August 15th, 2003 — The Florida Senate and House have hammered out a medical malpractice reform compromise during the third special legislative session called by Gov. Jeb Bush to find a solution to the insurance availability and affordability crisis in the state.
The governor, a staunch backer of the reforms, is expected to sign the compromise bill.
Under the reforms, non-economic (pain-and-suffering) damages against any one doctor are capped at $500,000. This cap can be "pierced" to $1 million for certain enumerated catastrophic injuries, including death, paralysis and blindness.
For hospitals, non-economic damages are capped at $750,000, and that cap can be pierced to $1.5 million for catastrophic injuries.