States With Caps on Wrongful Death Damages
Nebraska limits wrongful death damages by what they cover rather than by a general dollar cap.
Pecuniary loss only
The wrongful death statute recovers only pecuniary loss. Annotations state that damages for bereavement, mental suffering or solace are not recoverable, which is a different kind of limit from a dollar cap.
Malpractice deaths: a total cap
A death from malpractice falls under the Hospital-Medical Liability Act, which caps total damages at $2.25 million, economic and noneconomic combined.
Local governments
Claims against political subdivisions are limited to $1,000,000 per person and $5,000,000 per occurrence.
No punitive damages
Nebraska does not allow punitive damages, so there is no punitive recovery to cap in a wrongful death action.
How other states compare
Missouri also excludes grief and bereavement but has no general cap, Mississippi caps noneconomic wrongful death damages at $1,000,000 shared by all beneficiaries, and Montana has a malpractice cap that rises each year.
A local personal injury attorney can review your claim — many offer a free consultation.
This is general information, not legal advice, and the state comparisons above are illustrative, not an exhaustive survey. Confirm how Nebraska's rules apply to your specific case with a licensed Nebraska attorney.