★ rolling tracker · updated 23 may 2026

Personal injury law changes,
2024 to 2026.

By MyClaimWorth EditorialPublished 23 May 202611 min read

★ what this page is

A chronological log of every PI statute, cap update, MDL milestone, and notable case law change that affects claim valuation across the 15 jurisdictions covered by myclaimworth.com. Updated continuously. If something material happened, it lands here within 14 days. Use it as a reference. Use it as a citation tool. Use it as proof that the bands on country pages are actually current.

Personal injury law moves. Sometimes glacially (the UK bereavement award has not changed since 2020, the Irish mental distress cap since 2013). Sometimes fast (Louisiana flipped from pure comparative to modified 51% on 1 January 2026, which radically reshapes auto, slip-and-fall, and premises cases in that state). The numbers and rules on country pages only stay accurate if someone is tracking the changes. This page is that tracking.

Items are organized by year (newest first), with pending or upcoming changes flagged separately. Each item has the date, jurisdiction, category, a one-line headline, a 2-3 sentence plain-English detail, and the statutory or case citation.

★ changes · pending

Coming soon.

Anticipated changes, bills in committee, scheduled adjustments.

pending 2026Damages cap· Texas
Texas medical malpractice cap inflation adjustment review
Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 74.301(e) requires periodic inflation review of $250k per-provider med-mal cap; no actual increase has materialized since enactment in 2003. 89th Legislature pending bills monitored for any reform.
Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 74.301
pending 2026Damages cap· New York
Grieving Families Act remains stalled
New York's Grieving Families Act (would expand wrongful death damages to include grief and non-pecuniary losses) passed both houses repeatedly 2022-2024 but vetoed three times by Governor Hochul. Reintroduced in 2025 session; status uncertain as of May 2026.
NY EPTL 5-4.3 (proposed amendments)

★ changes · 2026

The 2026 log.

Material PI law changes effective in 2026.

2026-01-01Damages cap· California
MICRA non-economic cap reaches $470,000 (injury) and $650,000 (wrongful death)
California medical malpractice non-economic damages cap for 2026-dates-of-injury under AB 35 (2022). Caps escalate $40k/year for injury, $50k/year for wrongful death, through 2033 then index 2% annually.
Cal. Civ. Code § 3333.2; AB 35 (Stats. 2022, ch. 17)
2026-01-01Comparative fault· Louisiana
Louisiana switches from pure comparative fault to modified 51% bar
Effective 1 January 2026, plaintiffs 51% or more at fault recover nothing. Plaintiffs 50% or less recover reduced damages. Reverses Louisiana's long-standing pure comparative regime under Civil Code art. 2323.
La. Civ. Code art. 2323 (as amended 2025)
2026-01-01Damages cap· Louisiana
Louisiana "amounts paid" rule for medical specials evidence
Plaintiffs can only recover medical expenses actually paid by insurers, Medicare, or Medicaid, not the inflated "sticker price" billed. Deductibles and co-pays still recoverable. Materially reduces awards by 30-60% in many cases.
La. R.S. § 9:2800.27 (as amended 2025)
2026-01-01Scheme / regulatory· California
California SB 53 + SB 243 AI chatbot liability for minors takes effect
Families can pursue civil claims against AI developers where negligent or reckless chatbot design caused injury or death to a minor. Requires AI services to implement crisis protocols, prevent sexual content exposure to minors, and disclose AI nature. First-of-its-kind in US PI law.
Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code (SB 53, SB 243 of 2025 session)
2026-01-01Scheme / regulatory· California
California workers' compensation expands to workplace mental health
Workers' comp coverage extended to work-related stress, anxiety, and PTSD meeting specified criteria. New employer reporting requirements for all workplace injury and illness claims.
Cal. Lab. Code (as amended 2025-2026)
2026-05-23Damages cap· United Kingdom
Bereavement award remains £15,120 (no 2026 increase)
Statutory bereavement award under Fatal Accidents Act 1976 s.1A remains at £15,120 for deaths on or after 1 May 2020. No 2026 update has been laid before Parliament. Plaintiff bar continues lobbying for an inflation-linked increase.
FAA 1976 s.1A; The Damages for Bereavement (Variation of Sum) Order 2019
2026-05-23Damages cap· Ireland
Mental distress cap remains €35,000
Statutory cap on mental distress (solatium) under Civil Liability Act 1961 s.49 remains at €35,000 total across all dependants combined, set by the 2013 Act. No 2026 update despite repeated calls.
Civil Liability Act 1961 s.49 (as amended by Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013)
2026-05-23Damages cap· Canada
Andrews non-pecuniary cap approximately C$415,000 (CPI-adjusted)
The Supreme Court of Canada's 1978 Andrews trilogy cap on non-pecuniary damages, originally $100,000, sits at approximately C$415,000 as of May 2026 with ongoing CPI adjustments. Pecuniary damages remain uncapped across all provinces.
Andrews v Grand & Toy Alberta Ltd [1978] 2 SCR 229
2026-05-23Scheme / regulatory· British Columbia
BC ICBC Enhanced Care no-fault scheme performance review
Enhanced Care (introduced 1 May 2021) continues as the dominant compensation scheme for BC motor vehicle injuries, replacing most tort claims with statutory accident benefits. Limited tort recovery only for criminal-conduct cases. Ongoing controversy over benefit adequacy for catastrophic injuries.
BC Insurance (Vehicle) Act, Part 7 (as amended 2021)
2026-05-23Scheme / regulatory· New South Wales
NSW Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 continues with periodic reviews
MAIA 2017 statutory benefits and threshold-based common law access for most motor accidents in NSW. State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) publishes annual reviews. No major 2026 amendment.
Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 (NSW)
2026-05-23Scheme / regulatory· Victoria
Victoria TAC scheme continues no-fault model
Transport Accident Commission scheme remains the no-fault compensation framework for most Victorian transport injuries. Common law access for serious injury or impairment exceeding statutory threshold. Benefits indexed annually.
Transport Accident Act 1986 (Vic)
2026-05-23Damages cap· Spain
Baremo 2026 update (annual inflation adjustment)
Spanish Baremo (Law 35/2015) tables updated for 2026 with annual inflation adjustments to point values. Mandatory points-based scale for motor accident injuries remains the dominant valuation framework.
Ley 35/2015, de 22 de septiembre (Baremo); annual update orders
2026-05-23Damages cap· Italy
Tabelle Milanesi 2026 update issued
Tribunale di Milano published 2026 Tabelle Milanesi with updated point values for non-pecuniary damages. National courts continue to apply the Milan tables as the de facto Italian standard for biological damage and moral damage.
Tabelle Milanesi 2026, Tribunale di Milano
2026-04-09Tariff / guidelines· United Kingdom
Judicial College Guidelines 18th edition published
The 18th edition replaced the 17th (April 2024) and lifted every bracket by 8.26%, the rise in RPI to August 2025. Tetraplegia now runs from £428,850 to £533,720 and paraplegia from £289,420 to £375,540. The new brackets apply to general damages across England and Wales.
Judicial College Guidelines, 18th edition (April 2026)

★ changes · 2025

The 2025 log.

Material PI law changes effective in 2025.

2025-01-01Damages cap· Colorado
Colorado HB 23-1093 raised non-economic damages caps
Substantial increase to non-economic damages and wrongful death "solatium" caps for causes of action accruing on or after 1 January 2025. New caps phase in with periodic inflation adjustments.
C.R.S. § 13-21-102.5 (as amended by HB 23-1093)
2025-04-01Process / procedure· Ireland
PIAB renamed to Injuries Resolution Board
Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) rebranded to Injuries Resolution Board (IRB) effective April 2024, with expanded mediation services and modernized digital filing under the Personal Injuries Resolution Board Act 2022. Functions otherwise unchanged.
Personal Injuries Resolution Board Act 2022
2025-01-01Statute of limitations· California
California AB 250 extends sexual assault SOL through 31 December 2027
Statute of limitations for sexual assault civil claims against perpetrators and cover-up entities extended to 31 December 2027, including workplace assaults and wrongful termination claims tied to sexual assault.
Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 340.16 (as amended by AB 250)
2025-05-31Tariff / guidelines· United Kingdom
UK whiplash tariff raised for the first time since 2021
For injuries on or after 31 May 2025 the tariff now runs from £275 (up to 3 months) to £4,830 (18 to 24 months), or £300 to £4,975 with a minor psychological injury. Injuries before that date keep the 2021 figures of £240 to £4,215. The tariff still covers RTA whiplash claims in England and Wales within the small claims limit.
Whiplash Injury (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/615)

★ changes · 2024

The 2024 log.

Material PI law changes effective in 2024.

2024-08-10Statute of limitations· United States (Federal)
Camp Lejeune Justice Act administrative claim window closed
The two-year statutory deadline for filing CLJA administrative claims with the Navy JAG expired 10 August 2024. Cases now proceed in federal court in the Eastern District of North Carolina. Approximately 500,000+ admin claims and 200,000+ federal cases pending.
Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 (PACT Act § 804)
2024-10-01MDL / mass tort· United States (Federal)
J&J $8.9 billion talc settlement proposed (LTL Management II dismissed)
J&J's second Texas two-step bankruptcy (LTL Management II) dismissed summer 2024 after first failure in 2023. J&J then announced $8.9B proposed global settlement October 2024 for current and future ovarian cancer claims. Implementation negotiations with plaintiff steering committee ongoing into 2026.
MDL 2738, In re J&J Talcum Powder, DNJ
2024-07-01Case law· California
California Supreme Court upholds Proposition 22 (rideshare driver classification)
In Castellanos v State of California (July 2024) the California Supreme Court upheld Prop 22, confirming rideshare drivers remain independent contractors for employment law purposes. Does not affect Uber/Lyft passenger and third-party injury insurance obligations under CA PUC regulations.
Castellanos v State of Calif. (2024) 16 Cal.5th 588

★ changes · 2023

The 2023 log.

Material PI law changes effective in 2023.

2023-03-24Comparative fault· Florida
Florida HB 837 (modified 51% bar + 2-year SOL + medical bill reforms)
Florida moved from pure comparative fault to modified 51% bar for most negligence claims. Statute of limitations for general negligence shortened from 4 years to 2 years. Medical bill evidence limited to amounts actually paid. Bad faith standards tightened. Premises liability presumptions changed.
Fla. Stat. §§ 95.11(4)(a), 768.81(6); HB 837 (2023)
2023-02-01Damages cap· Iowa
Iowa HF 161 medical malpractice non-economic cap ($1M/$2M)
Hard caps on non-economic damages in med-mal: $1M per plaintiff against hospitals ($2M aggregate per incident); $1M for other healthcare providers. Limited exceptions for permanent impairment, disfigurement, or death.
Iowa Code (as amended by HF 161, 2023)
2023-08-01MDL / mass tort· United States (Federal)
3M Combat Arms Earplug $6 billion settlement announced
Global settlement for ~250,000 service member claimants alleging hearing damage from defective combat earplugs. Average per claimant approximately $24,000, with severe cases recovering more. Settlement implementation through AlphaWatch claims administrator continues into 2026.
MDL 2885, In re 3M Combat Arms Earplug, ND Fla
2023-01-01Damages cap· California
California MICRA AB 35 reform begins (medical malpractice caps escalation)
AB 35 (Stats. 2022) ended 47 years of $250,000 cap on non-economic medical malpractice damages. Non-death cap started at $350,000 in 2023, escalating $40k/year through 2033. Wrongful death cap started at $500,000, escalating $50k/year. Then 2% annual indexation.
Cal. Civ. Code § 3333.2 (as amended by AB 35)

settlement insider · weekly

Adjuster tactics, real bands, guideline updates. No pitch, no spam, unsubscribe in one click.

★ editorial note

This page is updated whenever a material PI law change occurs. For the latest source check the citation directly. For jurisdiction-specific deeper context see the country pages. Email [email protected] to flag something we missed. See also /methodology and /sources.

Personal injury law changes,2024 to 2026.

Texas medical malpractice cap inflation adjustment review

Grieving Families Act remains stalled

MICRA non-economic cap reaches $470,000 (injury) and $650,000 (wrongful death)

Louisiana switches from pure comparative fault to modified 51% bar

Louisiana "amounts paid" rule for medical specials evidence

California SB 53 + SB 243 AI chatbot liability for minors takes effect

California workers&apos; compensation expands to workplace mental health

Bereavement award remains £15,120 (no 2026 increase)

Mental distress cap remains €35,000

Andrews non-pecuniary cap approximately C$415,000 (CPI-adjusted)

BC ICBC Enhanced Care no-fault scheme performance review

NSW Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 continues with periodic reviews

Victoria TAC scheme continues no-fault model

Baremo 2026 update (annual inflation adjustment)

Tabelle Milanesi 2026 update issued

Judicial College Guidelines 18th edition published

Colorado HB 23-1093 raised non-economic damages caps

PIAB renamed to Injuries Resolution Board

California AB 250 extends sexual assault SOL through 31 December 2027

UK whiplash tariff raised for the first time since 2021

Camp Lejeune Justice Act administrative claim window closed

J&J $8.9 billion talc settlement proposed (LTL Management II dismissed)

California Supreme Court upholds Proposition 22 (rideshare driver classification)

Florida HB 837 (modified 51% bar + 2-year SOL + medical bill reforms)

Iowa HF 161 medical malpractice non-economic cap ($1M/$2M)

3M Combat Arms Earplug $6 billion settlement announced

California MICRA AB 35 reform begins (medical malpractice caps escalation)

A weekly email on what cases actually settle for.

Personal injury law changes,
2024 to 2026.

California workers' compensation expands to workplace mental health