Bill > SB314

This bill modifies several aspects of Missouri civil procedure law, focusing on how damages and fault are determined in legal cases. It introduces changes to the collateral source rule, which previously allowed evidence of payments from third-party sources like insurance to be presented in court. Now, if a defendant or their insurer pays part of a plaintiff's special damages before trial, those payments cannot be recovered, and the defendant can receive a credit for such payments. The bill also reforms how medical treatment costs are calculated and presented in court, limiting the evidence of medical bills to the actual amount paid rather than the full billed amount. Additionally, the legislation establishes new rules for determining fault in tort cases, requiring juries to assign a percentage of fault to each party involved, even those not directly part of the lawsuit. The bill prohibits attorneys from suggesting specific dollar amounts for non-economic damages to juries and introduces strict new disclosure requirements for civil actions involving latent injuries or diseases, mandating that plaintiffs provide detailed information about their claims within 30 days of filing a lawsuit. These changes aim to provide more clarity and fairness in civil litigation procedures.

Justice

https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=162