HRS §663-1.3
Lawsuits cannot state a specific dollar amount for damages
In personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits, the papers that start the case cannot say exactly how much money is being asked for. They can only ask for general relief and say the amount is within the court's minimum limits. If a paper does state a specific amount, the court can dismiss it, but you can fix it by amending it.
courts
The statute, as written — "Ad damnum" clause prohibited
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in any action based on tort, including a medical tort as defined in section 671-1, to recover damages for personal injuries or wrongful death, no complaint, counterclaim, cross claim or third party claim nor any amendment to such pleadings shall specify the amount of damages prayed for but shall contain a prayer for general relief, including a statement that the amount of damages is within the minimum jurisdictional limits of the court in which the action is brought. (b) If the complaint, counterclaim, cross claim or third party claim or any amendment to such pleadings contains a specified amount of damages, the claim, counterclaim, cross claim or third party claim shall be dismissed by the court without prejudice; provided that, upon the filing of a motion to dismiss a complaint on the grounds of specificity of damages, the court shall allow the pleading to be amended in lieu of dismissal at the request of the claimant.
Sections this one refers to
§671-1 Who counts as a health care provider and what is a medical mistake
LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.