By a narrow margin, a plurality of Iowans favor a new $2 million limit on damages for pain and suffering in major medical malpractice cases, a new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows. 

Forty-seven percent of Iowans support the law, while 44% are opposed. Another 10% are not sure. 

The poll of 805 Iowa adults was conducted March 5-8 by Selzer & Co. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. 

The poll asked Iowans if they favor or oppose a recently passed law that will “limit how much money Iowans may receive for pain and suffering in major medical malpractice lawsuits to no more than $2 million.” 

Poll respondent Bob Griffith, a 67-year-old retired police officer and Mount Pleasant City Council member, said he favors limiting damages in medical malpractice lawsuits because attorneys “should not make a profit on someone else’s misfortune.” 

“I think my main problem with the whole thing is the attorneys are making money off of this stuff,” he said. “I can see compensation for someone whose life has changed dramatically due to an injury from a malpractice thing or something like that.” 

Read the entire story here.