Editorial: Lawsuit ceiling is hardly reasonable

Sunday, April 23, 2000 | 9:15 a.m.

Nevada law limits the amount of damages an individual can collect -- $50,000 -- if he is injured by the negligence of a local or state government. If a government vehicle rammed your car and resulted in serious injuries, your medical bills alone easily could be double what the cap is -- if not more. This ceiling, which is the lowest in the nation, was last raised in 1979.

In response, the 1999 Legislature established an interim committee to see whether the cap should be increased. While even local governments have acknowledged the need for an increase of up to $75,000, legislators studying the issue are deadlocked. It is incumbent on legislators, however, to break this impasse and recommend that this intolerably low ceiling be increased to a reasonable level.

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