Last December, a Los Angeles jury awarded $2.3 million in
compensatory damages and $15 million in punitive damages against Los Angeles
Clippers owner Donald Sterling. The plaintiff, a tenant in one of
Sterling’s apartment buildings, claimed she lost most her personal belongings
due to a fire in the building. She also claimed that she suffered
emotional distress and that her acting career was derailed by the fire. By our count, the punitive damages award was the 6th largest in California in 2012.
Today, Judge William McLaughlin issued a 21-page minute order finding
that plaintiff failed to present sufficient evidence to support her cause of
action for intentional infliction of emotional distress damages. Judge
McLaughlin also concluded that the punitive damages were excessive.
Ultimately, he ordered a complete new trial on all issues, because he could not
determine the extent to which the unsupported emotional distress claim affected
the jury’s damages award.
Full disclosure: Horvitz & Levy represented Sterling in
connection with the posttrial motions.
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