Noneconomic damages; revise to include an annual inflationary rate.

HB 1457 would adjust Mississippi's caps on non-monetary damages (like pain, suffering, or emotional distress) by requiring them to increase annually starting July 1, 2025, using an 8% compounded interest rate. Currently, medical malpractice cases have a $500,000 cap and other civil cases have a $1,000,000 cap for these damages. The bill would automatically raise these amounts each year to account for inflation, rather than keeping the fixed dollar amounts. This change directly affects plaintiffs in civil lawsuits involving noneconomic damages, such as medical malpractice or personal injury cases. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.