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★ District of Columbia · medical negligence

Medical negligence settlements
in District of Columbia.

By Reviewed by Abd Shanti, Founder9 min read

DC requires written notice to the doctor or hospital at least 90 days before a malpractice suit. A patient hurt by repeated IV attempts at MedStar Georgetown filed after three years and without notice, and lost. A woman whose pain began with a 2003 urethral dilation, and who only linked it in 2017, won a new trial after the jury was misled on when her claim accrued.

Facts that decide a medical negligence claim in District of Columbia

90 day noticeYou must notify the intended defendant not less than 90 days before filing, with enough detail on the claim and the injuries.D.C. Code § 16-2802
Discovery ruleWhen the claim accrues turns on what you knew about the injury and its cause; a misleading closing argument on that point required a new trial.Ramey v. Foxhall Urology (D.C. 2025)
Deadline to sueThree years for actions “for which a limitation is not otherwise specially prescribed,” which covers personal injury.D.C. Code § 12-301(a)(8)
united states · sister site
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★ DC · reported medical negligence outcomes

What District of Columbia courts have awarded.

Real District of Columbia decisions and verdicts, each linked to the court record or official report.

  • Waugh v. MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
    D.C. Court of Appeals · 2019
    Dismissal affirmed

    On September 7 and 8, 2014, two nurses at MedStar Georgetown went “fishing” for a vein in Brian Waugh’s right arm; one attempt bled heavily and a later line in his hand stung intensely. He says his hand sometimes feels like it is going to sleep, with sharp wrist pains. He sued on November 22, 2017, without the 90 day notice. The court affirmed dismissal as late and unnoticed.

  • Ramey v. Foxhall Urology
    D.C. Court of Appeals · 2025
    New trial ordered

    In 2003 Sarah Ramey had a urethral dilation and felt intense pain; debilitating symptoms followed. For fourteen years she searched for the cause until two doctors tied it to the procedure in 2017, and she sued two years later. The jury found her claim too late, but the court ordered a new trial because a defense closing statement misstated when the clock starts.

★ DC · medical negligence · in practice

What changes the number here.

What actually moves a medical negligence settlement in District of Columbia.

  1. 1

    Send the 90 day notice letter to every provider you plan to sue.

  2. 2

    Keep a dated record of every doctor’s opinion on the cause of your symptoms.

  3. 3

    File within three years of learning the cause; do not wait for certainty.

★ DC · statute of limitations
3 years from date of injury

D.C. Code § 12-301

★ DC · fault rule
Pure contributory negligence

Pure contributory negligence, 1% claimant fault bars recovery, with a narrow exception for cyclists and pedestrians under D.C. Code § 50-2204.52.

★ medical negligence · same region & fault regime

Compare to like jurisdictions.

How District of Columbia's fault rule and limitation period compare to jurisdictions in the same US region and to those running the same fault rule for medical negligence claims.

JurisdictionFault ruleLimitationMedical negligence page
District of Columbia · you are herePure contributory negligence3 years from date of injury—
MaineModified comparative, 50% bar6 years for personal injury, longest in the USME · medical negligence →
MarylandPure contributory negligence3 years from date of injuryMD · medical negligence →
MassachusettsModified comparative, 51% bar3 years from date of injuryMA · medical negligence →
New HampshireModified comparative, 51% bar3 years from date of injuryNH · medical negligence →
New JerseyModified comparative, 51% bar2 years from date of injuryNJ · medical negligence →
New YorkPure comparative negligence3 years for personal injury; 2 years 6 months for medical malpracticeNY · medical negligence →
North CarolinaPure contributory negligence3 years from date of injuryNC · medical negligence →
VirginiaPure contributory negligence2 years from date of injuryVA · medical negligence →
AlabamaPure contributory negligence2 years from date of injuryAL · medical negligence →
FloridaModified comparative, 51% bar2 years from date of injury (was 4; reduced by HB 837)FL · medical negligence →
GeorgiaModified comparative, 50% bar2 years from date of injuryGA · medical negligence →
HawaiiModified comparative, 51% bar2 years from date of injuryHI · medical negligence →
★ DC · medical negligence · frequently asked

Common questions.

Each answer is independently coherent and references the relevant statute or authority document.

united states · sister site
Your medical negligence claim in District of Columbia. See the number for your own case.

FairSettlement gives you a free estimate for your own medical negligence case in about two minutes, no cost and no obligation.

Check my case

Sources

Checked 2026-09-30.

★ all of DC
District of Columbia overview

Fault rule, statute, caps, and key facts for District of Columbia as a whole.

★ national frame
Medical negligence in United States

Medical negligence band structure and severity tiers at the US level.

★ all 15 countries
Medical negligence · everywhere

Cross-jurisdiction comparison of medical negligence bands.

★ editorial note

Figures on this page are not quotes for any specific case. For representation, consult an attorney admitted in District of Columbia. See /methodology, /sources, and /disclaimer.