A damage cap is a limit placed on how much money you can recover in a medical malpractice case. It may apply to the total award or a portion of the damages, such as non-economic damages. The purpose of a damage cap is to prevent an excessive amount of money from being awarded to the plaintiff. Damage caps are also in place to keep medical malpractice insurance premiums at a reasonable cost, preventing medical professionals from having to leave the profession after a lawsuit.