Side-by-side comparison of non-economic damages caps, statute of limitations, comparative negligence rules, and no-fault PIP requirements across all 50 US states and Washington DC. Use this table to identify high-value vs. high-risk jurisdictions for your personal injury claim.
Quick reading:
| State | Non-Economic Cap | Negligence Rule | No-Fault State | SOL (yrs) | Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No Cap | ⚠ Pure Contributory Negligence | — | 2 | Calculate → |
| Alaska | No Cap | Pure Comparative Negligence | — | 2 | Calculate → |
| Arizona | No Cap | Pure Comparative Negligence | — | 2 | Calculate → |
| Arkansas | No Cap | Modified Comparative (50% bar) | — | 3 | Calculate → |
| California | No Cap | Pure Comparative Negligence | — | 2 | Calculate → |
| Connecticut | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | — | 2 | Calculate → |
| Delaware | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | ✓ Yes | 2 | Calculate → |
| Florida | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | ✓ Yes | 2 | Calculate → |
| Georgia | No Cap | Modified Comparative (50% bar) | — | 2 | Calculate → |
| Illinois | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | — | 2 | Calculate → |
| Indiana | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | — | 2 | Calculate → |
| Iowa | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | — | 2 | Calculate → |
| Kentucky | No Cap | Pure Comparative Negligence | ✓ Yes | 1 | Calculate → |
| Maine | No Cap | Modified Comparative (50% bar) | — | 6 | Calculate → |
| Massachusetts | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | ✓ Yes | 3 | Calculate → |
| Michigan | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | ✓ Yes | 3 | Calculate → |
| Minnesota | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | ✓ Yes | 2 | Calculate → |
| Missouri | No Cap | Pure Comparative Negligence | — | 5 | Calculate → |
| Montana | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | — | 3 | Calculate → |
| Nebraska | No Cap | Modified Comparative (50% bar) | — | 4 | Calculate → |
| Nevada | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | — | 2 | Calculate → |
| New Hampshire | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | — | 3 | Calculate → |
| New Jersey | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | ✓ Yes | 2 | Calculate → |
| New Mexico | No Cap | Pure Comparative Negligence | — | 3 | Calculate → |
| New York | No Cap | Pure Comparative Negligence | ✓ Yes | 3 | Calculate → |
| North Carolina | No Cap | ⚠ Pure Contributory Negligence | — | 3 | Calculate → |
| North Dakota | No Cap | Modified Comparative (50% bar) | ✓ Yes | 6 | Calculate → |
| Oklahoma | No Cap | Modified Comparative (50% bar) | — | 2 | Calculate → |
| Oregon | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | ✓ Yes | 2 | Calculate → |
| Pennsylvania | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | ✓ Yes | 2 | Calculate → |
| Rhode Island | No Cap | Pure Comparative Negligence | — | 3 | Calculate → |
| South Carolina | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | — | 3 | Calculate → |
| South Dakota | No Cap | Pure Comparative Negligence | — | 3 | Calculate → |
| Texas | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | — | 2 | Calculate → |
| Utah | No Cap | Modified Comparative (50% bar) | ✓ Yes | 4 | Calculate → |
| Vermont | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | — | 3 | Calculate → |
| Virginia | No Cap | ⚠ Pure Contributory Negligence | — | 2 | Calculate → |
| Washington | No Cap | Pure Comparative Negligence | — | 3 | Calculate → |
| Washington D.C. | No Cap | ⚠ Pure Contributory Negligence | ✓ Yes | 3 | Calculate → |
| West Virginia | No Cap | Modified Comparative (50% bar) | — | 2 | Calculate → |
| Wisconsin | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | — | 3 | Calculate → |
| Wyoming | No Cap | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | — | 4 | Calculate → |
| Idaho | $250,000 | Modified Comparative (50% bar) | — | 2 | Calculate → |
| Ohio | $250,000 | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | — | 2 | Calculate → |
| Kansas | $325,000 | Modified Comparative (50% bar) | ✓ Yes | 2 | Calculate → |
| Hawaii | $375,000 | Modified Comparative (51% bar) | ✓ Yes | 2 | Calculate → |
| Louisiana | $500,000 | Pure Comparative Negligence | — | 1 | Calculate → |
| Colorado | $642,180 | Modified Comparative (50% bar) | — | 2 | Calculate → |
| Tennessee | $750,000 | Modified Comparative (50% bar) | — | 1 | Calculate → |
| Maryland | $935,000 | ⚠ Pure Contributory Negligence | — | 3 | Calculate → |
| Mississippi | $1,000,000 | Pure Comparative Negligence | — | 3 | Calculate → |
Non-Economic Cap. The state's statutory limit on pain & suffering damages. Caps vary widely — California medical-malpractice claims are capped at $350K (MICRA), while Texas general PI is uncapped but med mal is $250K. About half the states impose no cap on general PI.
Negligence Rule. Determines what happens if you bear partial responsibility:
No-Fault / PIP. 12 states require Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage and bar motor vehicle pain & suffering claims unless your injury exceeds a "serious injury threshold" (typically: death, permanent disfigurement, significant disability, or medicals above PIP limit).
Statute of Limitations (SOL). The deadline to file suit. Most states are 2-3 years from injury date. Kentucky, Louisiana, and Tennessee are 1 year — extremely short. Missing the SOL bars the claim forever, regardless of merit.
Most plaintiffs can only sue in the state where the injury occurred (lex loci delicti). But for incidents near state borders, on interstate highways, or involving out-of-state defendants/insurers, venue rules sometimes allow strategic choice. This table helps identify whether moving venue is worth the legal complexity.
Legal citations and full state-specific rules: see each state's calculator page linked above.