Texas HB 4806 and SB 30: Big Business’ Assault on Texans’ Rights to Fair Compensation

What are Texas House Bill 4806 and Senate Bill 30?

HB 4806 and SB 30 is a “wish list” for insurance companies, trucking companies, and all big businesses. This industry-sponsored bill will strip away rights from Texans who have been seriously harmed by others, including those suffering from death, serious burns, and lifetime brain injuries.

At Hastings Law Firm, we believe this proposed legislation represents a dangerous attack on the rights of injured Texans. For over 20 years, we’ve fought for victims of medical malpractice and personal injury, securing fair compensation for their suffering. This bill threatens to make it nearly impossible for victims to receive just compensation for their injuries and would significantly diminish Texans’ constitutional right to a fair trial by jury.

Why the $250,000 Noneconomic Damage Cap Harms Texas Families

The proposed $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages would devastate Texas families seeking justice after serious injuries or deaths. This arbitrary limit shows how the bill values corporate profits over human suffering.

This means ALL cases, no exceptions. If a child dies, the limit will be $250,000. If a drunk driver maims your spouse, the limit will be $250,000. If a defective product made in China blows up in your face, the limit is $250,000.

Why should businesses dictate the value of human suffering and loss? Texans deserve the right to have their voices heard and to hold companies accountable for their actions.

Limiting compensation isn’t just about saving money for big corporations, it’s about silencing the people and stripping away their rights. We must stand firm and protect the values and rights that have defined Texas for generations.

What Damages Will Be Eliminated Under HB 4806 and SB 30?

The bill doesn’t just cap damages, it completely eliminates entire categories of compensation that are vital for injury survivors. Here’s what would be eliminated:

Physical Impairment Damages Eliminated

This new law eliminates damages for physical impairment in ALL cases.

Physical impairment means that the injured person can no longer do certain activities or enjoy life the way they could before the injury due to physical limitations. This most often affects the most serious injuries, such as paralysis and amputation.

These are damages for the most cherished things in life such as fending for yourself, and managing debilitating injuries.

Imagine losing the ability to walk, move your limbs, or perform everyday tasks independently. These injuries can come from car accidents, workplace accidents, medical mistakes, or faulty products.

Removing physical impairment as a damage category in Texas is alarming. It means victims can’t get compensation for the deep emotional and psychological toll these injuries take.

It’s not just about physical limitations; it’s about the impact on someone’s ability to fend for themselves and enjoy the most cherished things in life. The law should protect these rights, not strip them away.

Disfigurement Damages Eliminated

Damages for disfigurement are also eliminated in ALL cases under the proposed legislation.

When we talk about disfigurement, we are talking about injuries that change a person’s appearance forever. Imagine having severe burns, facial scars, amputations, or other injuries that leave visible marks or deformities.

These can come from car accidents, workplace accidents, medical mistakes, or faulty products.

Removing disfigurement as a damage category in Texas means victims can’t get compensation for the deep emotional and psychological toll these injuries take.

It’s not just about looks; it’s about the impact on someone’s self-esteem, social life, and overall happiness. The law should protect these rights, not strip them away.

Loss of Companionship and Society Damages Eliminated

Loss of companionship and society damages will also be eliminated in ALL cases.

Losing companionship and society means losing the emotional support, love, and presence of a loved one. Think about it: if your spouse gets seriously injured or dies, your family loses their affection, guidance, and the invaluable role they played in your lives.

This loss can leave a huge emotional gap, making it hard for the family to enjoy life like before.

Taking away the right to claim for loss of companionship and society is downright unfair. It means families can’t get compensated for the emotional pain and suffering they go through.

How do you heal and move on when you’re denied justice for losing someone irreplaceable? It’s not just about money; it’s about acknowledging the deep hurt and helping families recover emotionally.

We should fight to keep these rights intact, not let big businesses strip them away.

Loss of Enjoyment of Life Damages Eliminated

Damages for loss of enjoyment of life will also be eliminated in ALL cases.

Loss of enjoyment of life is all about the things that make life worth living—the activities and experiences that bring joy and fulfillment. Imagine not being able to do the things you love, like playing sports, traveling, cooking, or even spending time with family and friends.

When someone suffers a serious injury, they might lose the ability to enjoy these activities, and it can have a huge impact on their happiness and overall well-being.

It’s not just about physical pain; it’s about missing out on life’s pleasures and feeling disconnected from the things that once brought joy.

Texas is considering eliminating loss of enjoyment of life as a damage category, which means victims won’t be able to seek compensation for this profound loss.

This is a big deal because it denies people the recognition and support they need to cope with the emotional and psychological toll of their injuries. We should fight to keep these rights intact, so that those who suffer can get the help they need to reclaim their happiness and enjoy life again.

How HB 4806 Will Limit Medical Expense Recovery and Access to Healthcare

This proposed law will drastically limit how an accident survivor can recover for their medical expenses.

When someone survives a serious accident, their first concern is usually how to pay for the medical expenses now and in the future. This bill is going to limit how much accident survivors can get back for medical expenses based on a “database” instead of what their actual charges are.

This “database” is very secretive and a terrible overreach of government control.

Can you imagine needing treatment but having to pay out of pocket because you can’t get enough from the insurance company of the person that injured you?

What about surgeries and care in the future? The bill makes NO allowance for inflation or changes to the cost of medical care.

The bill will also limit access to providers. Many doctors already refuse to treat accident victims because they do not want to forego payment for their services waiting for a lawsuit to resolve many years down the road.

Now, even more will refuse to treat you since they cannot even be assured they’ll get paid properly if they provide necessary treatment.The arbitrary formula in the bill completely ignores the reality of individual medical situations. Someone with catastrophic injuries might need specialized care that costs far more than what the “database” allows.

Future medical expenses would be similarly restricted, with no consideration for inflation or changes in medical costs over time.

The result? Injury victims left with massive medical bills they can’t pay, and healthcare providers who will increasingly refuse to treat accident victims at all because they know they won’t be properly compensated.

How You Can Take Action Against HB 4806 and SB 30

Time is limited to stop this dangerous legislation. Here’s what you can do right now:

Contact Your Representatives

1. Find your Texas State Representative and Senator at: https://wrm.capitol.texas.gov/home
2. Call their offices directly. Phone calls have a much greater impact than emails. When you call, be clear and direct:
   • State your name and that you’re a constituent
   • Express your opposition to HB 4806/SB 30
   • Share a brief personal reason why this matters to you
   • Ask them to vote NO on these bills
3. Follow up with an email reiterating your opposition and concerns.

Key Points to Make When Contacting Representatives

When you reach out to your representatives, emphasize these key points:

• An artificial cap on life and independence of $250,000 is an insult to accident survivors.
• Survivors should be compensated for impairment and disfigurement.
• Life and families are precious and juries should decide cases, not business and insurance companies.
• Caps on medical expenses and costs turns survivors into victims. No caps on medical costs.

Spread the Word

Share information about this bill with friends, family, and on social media. Many Texans don’t know about this legislation, and the more people who speak up, the better chance we have of stopping it.

When Will HB 4806 and SB 30 Be Voted On? Key Dates and Timeline

On March 13, 2025, the Texas House of Representatives introduced House Bill 4806, authored by Representative Greg Bonnen. At the same time, an identical companion bill (Senate Bill 30) was authored by Senator Charles Schwertner in the Texas Senate. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has announced that SB 30 is part of his second round of top 40 priority bills for the 89th regular legislative session, signaling strong support from leadership.

The bill is currently in committee, where it will be reviewed before potentially advancing to a full chamber vote. If passed by both chambers and signed by the governor, the law would take effect September 1, 2025, unless it receives a two-thirds vote in both chambers, in which case it would take immediate effect.

Given the bill’s priority status and the support it has from key leadership, there is a real possibility this harmful legislation could become law without sufficient public awareness or opposition. This makes it crucial for concerned Texans to understand what’s at stake and take action now.

The window for public input is limited, making it essential that Texans contact their representatives immediately to express their concerns about this dangerous legislation.

Help Us Stand Up for Texans’ Rights

At Hastings Law Firm, we’ve spent decades fighting for victims of medical malpractice and personal injury. We’ve seen firsthand how existing restrictions already make it difficult for injured Texans to receive fair compensation.

HB 4806 and SB 30 would make this situation dramatically worse, stripping away fundamental rights that Texans have held since our state’s founding.

This legislation isn’t about reform, it’s about protecting corporate profits at the expense of injured Texans. It’s about taking away your constitutional right to have a jury of your peers determine what fair compensation looks like in your unique case.

This is not justice. This is not the Texas way. This is corporate profits being placed above the wellbeing of our fellow Texans.

We urge you to take action now. Contact your representatives, share this information, and stand up for your rights as a Texan. Together, we can protect the justice system that serves us all and ensure that those who suffer preventable injuries can receive the compensation they deserve.

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What These Changes Mean for Texas Families

If HB 4806 and SB 30 become law, here’s what it will mean for Texas families:

1. Victims with catastrophic injuries will receive the same arbitrary cap amount regardless of the severity of their injuries or how they impact their lives.
2. Families who lose loved ones will be limited to $250,000 for their immeasurable loss, regardless of circumstances.
3. Those suffering lifelong disfigurement or physical impairment will receive nothing for these life-altering conditions.
4. Medical bills exceeding the arbitrary database limits will come out of victims’ pockets, potentially leading to financial ruin.
5. Many victims will be unable to find attorneys willing to take their cases due to the economic constraints imposed by the caps.

The human cost of these changes cannot be overstated. A child with severe burns requiring lifelong care, a parent permanently disabled by a drunk driver, a worker injured by a defective product—all would face the same arbitrary limits on compensation, regardless of their unique circumstances.

How Texas Tort Law Already Restricts Injury Victims’ Rights

Since Texas was its own country, the people have had the right to sit on juries and listen to each case and decide accountability and damages. Big business wants this to stop. They do not trust Texans and want to have zero accountability to the citizens of this state.

This assault on our rights is particularly troubling because Texas already has some of the most restrictive medical malpractice laws in the nation. In 2003, Texas implemented sweeping tort reform that capped non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases at $250,000 per provider (with a maximum of $750,000). These existing restrictions have already made it extremely difficult for victims of medical negligence to receive fair compensation.

Now, HB 4806 and SB 30 seek to extend these harsh limitations to ALL personal injury cases, not just medical malpractice. This would place Texas among the most restrictive states in the nation when it comes to compensating injured victims, effectively valuing corporate profits over people’s lives and wellbeing.

The proposed changes ignore a fundamental truth: each case is unique, with its own set of circumstances and impacts on victims’ lives. For generations, Texas has trusted its citizens to serve on juries and make these determinations based on the specific facts presented. This bill would replace that trust with arbitrary caps and restrictions.

How Texas Compares to Other States with Damage Caps

Texas already has some of the most restrictive medical malpractice laws in the country. In 2003, Texas enacted a $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages in medical malpractice cases. Now, HB 4806 would extend these harsh restrictions to ALL personal injury cases.

States that have imposed similar sweeping caps have seen troubling consequences for their citizens. In states like California, which has had a $250,000 cap on medical malpractice noneconomic damages since 1975, victims have struggled to find attorneys willing to take their cases.

Why? Because when damages are severely limited, attorneys working on contingency fees can’t afford to take complex cases that might require hundreds of thousands of dollars to litigate properly.

The result is a two-tiered justice system where only the wealthy can afford to pursue justice, while average citizens are left with no recourse.

Research has also shown that damage caps do not deliver on their promised benefits. They don’t meaningfully reduce insurance premiums or healthcare costs. What they do accomplish is shifting the burden from negligent parties to the victims and taxpayers.

In states with severe damage caps, families devastated by serious injuries often end up relying on government assistance programs when their compensation is insufficient to cover their losses—effectively transferring costs from insurance companies to taxpayers.