In the upcoming Session of the Maryland General Assembly, lawmakers are considering eliminating the cap on non-economic damages — compensation for pain, inconvenience and other hard-to-quantify losses awarded in lawsuits. Advocates warn this change could raise insurance premiums, increase legal costs and create unfair burdens for businesses and consumers. Maryland Chamber Vice President of Government Affairs Grason Wiggins explains to Baltimore Banner readers the implications of eliminating caps on non-economic damages.
Eliminating caps may impair hiring: “My concern is that eliminating the cap could discourage businesses from hiring individuals with less-than-perfect work histories,” explained Grason. “Maryland already has one of the slowest job growth rates in the country. Adding more liability costs would make it harder for businesses to take hiring risks, further limiting opportunities for workers and compounding the state’s workforce challenges.”
