Opinion ID: 1748489
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Constitutionality of Damage Cap

Text: The Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act limits damages for which a political subdivision may be held liable to [o]ne million dollars for any person for any number of claims arising out of a single occurrence. § 13-926(1). Pursuant to this statute, the district court entered judgment for Staley in the amount of $1 million, despite the fact that it determined his total damages to be $2,933,402. The district court rejected Staley's contention that the statutory damage cap was unconstitutional. In his cross-appeal, Staley assigns error with respect to this determination, claiming that the damage cap is unconstitutional under several alternative theories. [8,9] We are guided by familiar general principles applicable to claims that a statute is unconstitutional. Statutes are afforded a presumption of constitutionality, and the unconstitutionality of a statute must be clearly established before it will be declared void. Gourley v. Nebraska Methodist Health Sys., 265 Neb. 918, 663 N.W.2d 43 (2003). The Nebraska Legislature is presumed to have acted within its constitutional power despite that, in practice, its laws may result in some inequality. Id.