TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Legal Newsline) – Since the Florida Supreme Court struck down the $1 million cap on non-economic damages in medical malpractice wrongful death cases, lawyers and industry experts have questioned whether the decision will once again increase malpractice claims and insurance premiums, or even force doctors to leave Florida to practice in other states.

In March, the court found in a 5-2 ruling that the 2003 law that imposed the cap violates the state constitution’s equal protection clause. The court also disputed the existence of the medical malpractice insurance crisis that legislators cited when they supported the law.