Reuters reports on an Alabama verdict awarding $51.8 million in compensatory damages and $100 million in punitive damages to a man paralyzed in a 2015 rollover accident involving a Ford explorer.  This verdict comes roughly 25 years after another noteworthy punitive damages award by an Alabama jury against an automaker: the $4 million award against BMW that led to the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in BMW v. Gore.

Law 360 reports on the latest skirmish over punitive damages in the long-running Florida smoker litigation. 

After a jury awarded $6 million in compensatory damages and $21 million in punitive damages, the trial court vacated the punitive damages award because, although the plaintiff alleged fraudulent conduct, she presented no evidence of reliance on any of the alleged misinformation.  The Eleventh Circuit reversed, ruling that Florida law does not require smokers to prove reliance on any specific fraudulent statement.  So now Philip Morris is back in the district court, arguing that the punitive damages award is excessive.  Either way the court rules, the case is likely to end up back before the Eleventh Circuit.

Law 360 reports on the latest skirmish over punitive damages in the long-running Florida smoker litigation.

After a jury awarded $6 million in compensatory damages and $21 million in punitive damages, the trial court vacated the punitive damages award because, although the plaintiff alleged fraudulent conduct, she presented no evidence of reliance on any of the alleged misinformation.  The Eleventh Circuit reversed, ruling that Florida law does not require smokers to prove reliance on any specific fraudulent statement.  So now Philip Morris is back in the district court, arguing that the punitive damages award is excessive.  Either way the court rules, the case is likely to end up back before the Eleventh Circuit.

ABA Litigation News has this article about whether plaintiffs in legal malpractice actions can seek lost punitive damages, i.e., the punitive damages they claim they would have been awarded if not for the lawyer’s malpractice.  The California Supreme Court answered “no” to that question in Ferguson v. Lieff Cabraser, but the article notes that courts in other jurisdictions have disagreed.

ABA Litigation News has this article about whether plaintiffs in legal malpractice actions can seek lost punitive damages, i.e., the punitive damages they claim they would have been awarded if not for the lawyer’s malpractice.  The California Supreme Court answered “no” to that question in Ferguson v. Lieff Cabraser, but the article notes that courts in other jurisdictions have disagreed.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that yesterday a jury awarded $16 million in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages to a woman who claimed she suffered serious health complications after being implanted with Ethicon vaginal mesh.  Johnson & Johnson is Ethicon’s parent company.

Johnson & Johnson has been battered with punitive damages awards in recent years.  Juries have awarded punitive damages in other mesh cases, as well as in cases involving hip implants and talc products.

Related posts:

Johnson & Johnson hit for $80 million in punitive damages in New Jersey talc case

Johnson & Johnson hit for $25 million in punitive damages in Indiana

Los Angeles trial court tosses $417 million talc verdict

Missouri appellate court reverses $62 million punitive damages award in talc case, finding no jurisdiction (Fox v. Johnson & Johnson)

L.A. jury awards $347 million in punitive damages against Johnson & Johnson in talc case

Johnson & Johnson gets hit again for punitive damages in Missouri talc litigation

Johnson & Johnson hit for $65 million in punitive damages in third big talc verdict

Johnson & Johnson hit with another big punitive damages award in Missouri over talc-based powder products

Johnson & Johnson vows to appeal $1 billion punitive damages award in hip implant case

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that yesterday a jury awarded $16 million in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages to a woman who claimed she suffered serious health complications after being implanted with Ethicon vaginal mesh.  Johnson & Johnson is Ethicon’s parent company.

Johnson & Johnson has been battered with punitive damages awards in recent years.  Juries have awarded punitive damages in other mesh cases, as well as in cases involving hip implants and talc products.

Related posts:

Johnson & Johnson hit for $80 million in punitive damages in New Jersey talc case

Johnson & Johnson hit for $25 million in punitive damages in Indiana

Los Angeles trial court tosses $417 million talc verdict

Missouri appellate court reverses $62 million punitive damages award in talc case, finding no jurisdiction (Fox v. Johnson & Johnson)

L.A. jury awards $347 million in punitive damages against Johnson & Johnson in talc case

Johnson & Johnson gets hit again for punitive damages in Missouri talc litigation

Johnson & Johnson hit for $65 million in punitive damages in third big talc verdict

Johnson & Johnson hit with another big punitive damages award in Missouri over talc-based powder products

Johnson & Johnson vows to appeal $1 billion punitive damages award in hip implant case

The Seymour Tribute reports on a Las Vegas jury verdict awarding $10.5 million in compensatory damages and $32.4 million in punitive damages against Centennial Hills Hospital.  The plaintiffs claimed that the hospital caused the death of a 29-year-old woman by administering a drug in excess of the manufacturer’s recommended dose.

The Seymour Tribute reports on a Las Vegas jury verdict awarding $10.5 million in compensatory damages and $32.4 million in punitive damages against Centennial Hills Hospital.  The plaintiffs claimed that the hospital caused the death of a 29-year-old woman by administering a drug in excess of the manufacturer’s recommended dose.

WGN reports on a Miami verdict awarding $536,000 in compensatory damages and $21 million in punitive damages against the Conrad hotel for firing a dishwasher who failed to report to work on Sundays. 

The plaintiff argued that the hotel discriminated against her by failing to accommodate her religious practices, which preclude her from working on Sundays.  As the story notes, however, the punitive damages will be capped at $300,000 (the maximum amount permitted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964).