Missouri Medical Malpractice Damages Cap

Non-economic cap, economic damages, and present-value modeling for Missouri med-mal cases.

Missouri — Non-Economic Cap

$481,493

2026: $481,493 non-catastrophic / $842,614 catastrophic. Annual 1.7% increase under §538.210.8. 2015 SB 239 reinstated caps after Watts v. Cox (2012) struck prior statute.

The rule at a glance

Non-economic cap: 2026: $481,493 non-catastrophic / $842,614 catastrophic. Annual 1.7% increase under §538.210.8. 2015 SB 239 reinstated caps after Watts v. Cox (2012) struck prior statute.
Economic damages: Past + future medicals, past + future wage loss, household services. Usually uncapped separately.
Present value of future damages: Reduce future streams to present value using 3% net discount rate; adjust for life expectancy.
Collateral source rule: Missouri — follow state collateral-source doctrine; verify whether insurance payments are admissible.
Statutory reference: Mo. Rev. Stat. §538.210

Common pitfalls in Missouri

Pleading aggregate damages without explicit non-economic line-item — caps apply per-defendant and per-occurrence, not in bulk.
Forgetting that economic damages (meds, wages, life care) are generally uncapped and should carry the weight of the demand.
Using gross future-medical totals without reducing to present value — opposing economists will deduct it and the jury may see the gap.
Failing to preserve the constitutional challenge if the cap applies — preservation matters if the state supreme court revisits.

Frequently asked questions

What is Missouri's medical malpractice damages cap?

2026: $481,493 non-catastrophic / $842,614 catastrophic. Annual 1.7% increase under §538.210.8. 2015 SB 239 reinstated caps after Watts v. Cox (2012) struck prior statute. The cap applies to non-economic damages (pain, suffering, loss of consortium) — economic damages like medical bills and lost wages are generally not capped.

Does Missouri's cap apply to economic damages?

No. Missouri's cap targets non-economic damages only. Past and future medical expenses, wage loss, life-care plan costs, and household services remain uncapped and should anchor the demand.

How do I calculate present value of future damages in Missouri?

Reduce future medical + wage streams using a net discount rate (typically 2-4%). Most plaintiff economists use the uniform-annuity PV formula with state-specific life-expectancy tables. The calculator below applies this automatically.

Is Missouri's damages cap constitutional?

Missouri's cap was struck down as unconstitutional. Caps may return via future legislation or a contrary ruling; check current statute before relying.

Calculate Missouri damages value

Enter past med, past wages, future med, future wages, and a non-econ multiplier. Get present-value totals with cap applied.

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Related Missouri resources

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