Iowa Governor Terry Branstad has approved what he calls “very significant” changes to some of the rules for medical malpractice lawsuits. A large crowd gathered around the desk in Branstad’s formal capitol office as he signed the bill into law.
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The new state law sets a 250-thousand dollar limit on “non-economic damages” for emotional pain and suffering that are awarded when health care providers are found liable for medical negligence. However, that “cap” or limit will not apply if a patient dies, loses major bodily functions or is substantially disfigured. Branstad says compared to neighboring states, medical liability lawsuits in Iowa take longer to resolve and cost more to defend.
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The bill also strengthens the standards for “expert witnesses” called to testify in medical malpractices cases.