House Judiciary Committee briefed on Maryland non‑economic damages cap; current limit $950,000

The House Judiciary Committee met Jan. 14, 2025, for a briefing on Maryland’s cap on non‑economic damages in personal injury and wrongful death cases, hearing presentations from the Department of Legislative Services and the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The briefing summarized the statutory history, current formula and comparable state practices, and included questions from committee members about the cap’s origins, how juries are instructed, and potential effects on insurance markets.

Holly Vandegrift, policy analyst with the Department of Legislative Services and counsel for the House Judiciary Committee, told the panel, “Today we're going to be discussing non economic damages for personal injury and wrongful death.” Shamari Taylor, committee counsel for the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, explained basic terms: “Damages are any money claimed or ordered to be paid to a person as compensation for injuries or losses.” Heather Morton of the National Conference of State Legislatures described NCSL’s role and provided state comparisons, saying, “NCSL is the country's most trusted bipartisan organization serving legislators and staff for 50 years.”

Why it matters: non‑economi…