Wis. Stat. § 893.82 — WI Code / Chapter 893 / Section 893.82
Claims against state employees; notice of claim; limitation of damages.
Status: in_force

(1) The purposes of this section are to:

(a) Provide the attorney general with adequate time to investigate claims which might result in judgments to be paid by the state.

(b) Provide the attorney general with an opportunity to effect a compromise without a civil action or civil proceeding.

(c) Place a limit on the amounts recoverable in civil actions or civil proceedings against any state officer, employee or agent.

(2) In this section:

(a) “Civil action or civil proceeding” includes a civil action or civil proceeding commenced or continued by counterclaim, cross claim or 3rd-party complaint.

(b) “Claimant” means the person or entity sustaining the damage or injury or his or her agent, attorney or personal representative.

(c) “Damage” or “injury” means any damage or injury of any nature which is caused or allegedly caused by the event. “Damage” or “injury” includes, but is not limited to, any physical or mental damage or injury or financial damage or injury resulting from claims for contribution or indemnification.

(d) “State officer, employee or agent” includes any of the following persons:

1. An officer, employee or agent of any nonprofit corporation operating a museum under a lease agreement with the state historical society.

1m. A volunteer health care provider who provides services under s. 146.89 , except a volunteer health care provider described in s. 146.89 (5) (a) , for the provision of those services.

1n. A practitioner who provides services under s. 257.03 and a health care facility on whose behalf services are provided under s. 257.04 , for the provision of those services.

1r. A physician under s. 251.07 or 252.04 (9) (b) .

2. A member of a local emergency planning committee appointed by a county board under s. 59.54 (8) (a) .

3. A member of the board of governors created under s. 619.04 (3) , a member of a committee or subcommittee of that board of governors, a member of the injured patients and families compensation fund peer review council created under s. 655.275 (2) , and a person consulting with that council under s. 655.275 (5) (b) .

(2m) No claimant may bring an action against a state officer, employee or agent unless the claimant complies strictly with the requirements of this section.

(3) Except as provided in sub. (5m) , no civil action or civil proceeding may be brought against any state officer, employee or agent for or on account of any act growing out of or committed in the course of the discharge of the officer’s, employee’s or agent’s duties, and no civil action or civil proceeding may be brought against any nonprofit corporation operating a museum under a lease agreement with the state historical society, unless within 120 days of the event causing the injury, damage or death giving rise to the civil action or civil proceeding, the claimant in the action or proceeding serves upon the attorney general written notice of a claim stating the time, date, location and the circumstances of the event giving rise to the claim for the injury, damage or death and the names of persons involved, including the name of the state officer, employee or agent involved. Except as provided under sub. (3m) , a specific denial by the attorney general is not a condition precedent to bringing the civil action or civil proceeding.

(3m) If the claimant is a prisoner, as defined in s. 801.02 (7) (a) 2. , the prisoner may not commence the civil action or proceeding until the attorney general denies the claim or until 120 days after the written notice under sub. (3) is served upon the attorney general, whichever is earlier. This subsection does not apply to a prisoner who commences an action seeking injunctive relief if the court finds that there is a substantial risk to the prisoner’s health or safety.

(4)

(a) Except as provided in par. (b) , if the civil action or proceeding under sub. (3) is based on contribution or indemnification, the event under sub. (3) is the underlying cause of action, not the cause of action for contribution or indemnification, and, except as provided in sub. (5m) , the 120-day limitation applies to that event.

(b)

1. If the claimant under par. (a) establishes that he or she had no actual or constructive knowledge of the underlying cause of action at the time of the event under sub. (3) , except as provided in sub. (5m) , the 120-day limitation under sub. (3) applies to the earlier of the following:

a. The date the cause of action for contribution or indemnification accrues.

b. The date the claimant acquired actual or constructive knowledge of the underlying cause of action.

2. The claimant has the burden of proving he or she had no actual knowledge of the underlying cause of action under this paragraph.

(5) The notice under sub. (3) shall be sworn to by the claimant and shall be served upon the attorney general at his or her office in the capitol or at the department of justice by personal service or by certified mail. If served by certified mail, notice shall be considered to be given upon mailing for the purpose of computing the time of giving notice.

(5m) With regard to a claim to recover damages for medical malpractice, the provisions of subs. (3) , (3m) , and (4) do not apply. The time periods for commencing an action under this section for damages for medical malpractice are the time periods under ss. 893.55 (1m) , (2) , and (3) and 893.56 .

(6) The amount recoverable by any person or entity for any damages, injuries or death in any civil action or civil proceeding against a state officer, employee or agent, or against a nonprofit corporation operating a museum under a lease agreement with the state historical society, including any such action or proceeding based on contribution or indemnification, shall not exceed $250,000. No punitive damages may be allowed or recoverable in any such action.

(7) With respect to a state officer, employee or agent described in sub. (2) (d) 3. , this section applies to an event causing the injury, damage or death giving rise to an action against the state officer, employee or agent, which occurs before, on or after April 25, 1990.

(8) This section does not apply to actions commenced under s. 19.37 or 19.97 .

(9) For purposes of this section, any employee of the state of Minnesota performing services for this state pursuant to a valid agreement between this state and the state of Minnesota providing for interchange of employees or services is considered to have the same status an as employee of this state performing the same services for this state, and any employee of this state who performs services for the state of Minnesota pursuant to such an agreement is considered to have the same status as when performing the same services for this state in any action brought under the laws of this state.

History: 1973 c. 333 ; 1977 c. 29 ; 1979 c. 221 ; 1979 c. 323 s. 30 ; 1979 c. 355 ; Stats. 1979 s. 893.82; 1983 a. 27 ; 1985 a. 66 , 340 ; 1987 a. 342 ; 1987 a. 403 s. 256 ; 1989 a. 187 , 206 , 359 ; 1991 a. 39 , 269 ; 1993 a. 27 , 28 ; 1995 a. 158 , 201 ; 1997 a. 133 ; 2003 a. 111 ; 2005 a. 96 ; 2007 a. 79 , 130 ; 2009 a. 42 , 278 ; 2011 a. 32 ; 2013 a. 241 ; 2019 a. 29 .