Georgia judge rejects damages limit for malpractice

A Georgia judge has struck down the cap on monetary awards in a medical malpractice case, a decision that could undercut a major component of Georgia's tort reform laws. In a recently released order, the Superior Court judge wrote that the legislative cap of $350,000 for noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering was unconstitutional because it gave special protections to the medical profession. For example, this meant people injured by doctors had less protection than those injured by a manufacturer's product, the judge wrote.