MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1998 Regular Session

To: Judiciary A

By: Representative Denny

House Bill 1056

 

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 11-1-59, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGES RECEIVED BY A PLAINTIFF BY SUBTRACTING ANY AMOUNTS RECEIVED FROM SOURCES OTHER THAN THE DEFENDANT; TO BRING FORWARD FOR PURPOSES OF AMENDMENT SECTION 11-1-65, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE METHOD OF AWARDING PUNITIVE DAMAGES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 11-1-59, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

11-1-59. (1) In any action at law against a licensed physician, osteopath, dentist, hospital, nurse, pharmacist, podiatrist, optometrist or chiropractor to recover damages based upon a professional negligence theory, the complaint or counterclaim shall not specify the amount of damages claimed, but shall only state that the damages claimed are within the jurisdictional limits of the court to which the pleadings are addressed and whether or not the amount of such damages is Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) or more, or such other minimum amount as shall be necessary to invoke federal jurisdiction if the action is brought in federal court.

(2) In any action for damages against a health care provider for a breach in the standard of care in which liability is admitted or is determined by the trier of fact and damages are awarded to compensate the plaintiff for losses sustained or to be sustained, the court shall reduce the amount of such award by the total of all amounts which have been paid or which are substantially certain to be paid for the benefit of the plaintiff, or which are otherwise available to the plaintiff, from all collateral sources; however, there shall be no reduction for collateral sources for which a subrogation right exists. Such reduction shall be offset to the extent of any amount which has been paid, or is substantially certain to be paid, contributed or forfeited by, or on behalf of, the plaintiff or members of the plaintiff's immediate family to secure the plaintiff's right to ny collateral source benefit which the plaintiff is receiving as a result of the plaintiff's injury.

SECTION 2. Section 11-1-65, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows:

11-1-65. (1) In any action in which punitive damages are sought:

(a) Punitive damages may not be awarded if the claimant does not prove by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant against whom punitive damages are sought acted with actual malice, gross negligence which evidences a willful, wanton or reckless disregard for the safety of others, or committed actual fraud.

(b) In any action in which the claimant seeks an award of punitive damages, the trier of fact shall first determine whether compensatory damages are to be awarded and in what amount, before addressing any issues related to punitive damages.

(c) If, but only if, an award of compensatory damages has been made against a party, the court shall promptly commence an evidentiary hearing before the same trier of fact to determine whether punitive damages may be considered.

(d) The court shall determine whether the issue of punitive damages may be submitted to the trier of fact; and, if so, the trier of fact shall determine whether to award punitive damages and in what amount.

(e) In all cases involving an award of punitive damages, the fact finder, in determining the amount of punitive damages, shall consider, to the extent relevant, the following: the defendant's financial condition and net worth; the nature and reprehensibility of the defendant's wrongdoing, for example, the impact of the defendant's conduct on the plaintiff, or the relationship of the defendant to the plaintiff; the defendant's awareness of the amount of harm being caused and the defendant's motivation in causing such harm; the duration of the defendant's misconduct and whether the defendant attempted to conceal such misconduct; and any other circumstances shown by the evidence that bear on determining a proper amount of punitive damages. The trier of fact shall be instructed that the primary purpose of punitive damages is to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar misconduct in the future by the defendant and others while the purpose of compensatory damages is to make the plaintiff whole.

(f) (i) Before entering judgment for an award of punitive damages the trial court shall ascertain that the award is reasonable in its amount and rationally related to the purpose to punish what occurred giving rise to the award and to deter its repetition by the defendant and others.

(ii) In determining whether the award is excessive, the court shall take into consideration the following factors:

1. Whether there is a reasonable relationship between the punitive damage award and the harm likely to result from the defendant's conduct as well as the harm that actually occurred;

2. The degree of reprehensibility of the defendant's conduct, the duration of that conduct, the defendant's awareness, any concealment, and the existence and frequency of similar past conduct;

3. The financial condition and net worth of the defendant; and

4. In mitigation, the imposition of criminal sanctions on the defendant for its conduct and the existence of other civil awards against the defendant for the same conduct.

(g) The seller of a product other than the manufacturer shall not be liable for punitive damages unless the seller exercised substantial control over that aspect of the design, testing, manufacture, packaging or labeling of the product that caused the harm for which recovery of damages is sought; the seller altered or modified the product, and the alteration or modification was a substantial factor in causing the harm for which recovery of damages is sought; the seller had actual knowledge of the defective condition of the product at the time he supplied same; or the seller made an express factual representation about the aspect of the product which caused the harm for which recovery of damages is sought.

(2) The provisions of Section 11-1-65 shall not apply to:

(a) Contracts;

(b) Libel and slander; or

(c) Causes of action for persons and property arising out of asbestos.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1998.