Damages

Mark Geragos Cleared of Liability in Avenatti Case, Jury Awards $100K in Damages Without Legal Basis

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LOS ANGELES — A ruling issued this week by a Superior Court judge has cleared attorney Mark Geragos of liability in a malpractice lawsuit stemming from his association with Michael Avenatti and a controversial Nike extortion case. The jury found that while Avenatti’s former client, Gary Franklin, was entitled to $100,000 in damages, they did not establish that Geragos was at fault or that his actions caused Franklin’s alleged harm. Franklin had sought millions in damages from Geragos, arguing that the attorney’s involvement in negotiations with Nike in 2019 contributed to Avenatti’s federal convictions for … Read more

Federal Appeals Court Affirms $83.3 Million Damages Against Trump in E. Jean Carroll Defamation Case, Rejecting Presidential Immunity Argument

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New York, N.Y. — A federal appeals court affirmed on Monday that Donald Trump cannot use presidential immunity as a defense to avoid paying $83.3 million in damages to writer E. Jean Carroll. This decision upholds a jury’s award for defamation against the former president. Trump’s legal team had cited a recent Supreme Court ruling concerning presidential immunity in official actions to argue for overturning the damages awarded to Carroll. However, a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit rejected this argument, concluding that the jury’s findings were justified given … Read more

Pennsylvania Court Halts $2.7M Punitive Damages in Nursing Home Case, Sparking Changes in Legal Strategy for Defense Attorneys

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PITTSBURGH — A recent ruling by the Pennsylvania Superior Court has significant implications for punitive damages awarded in negligence cases. On May 19, 2025, the court vacated a $2.7 million punitive damages verdict in the case of Bernavage v. Green Ridge Healthcare, determining that the trial court erred by allowing an amendment to the plaintiff’s complaint that introduced allegations of recklessness at the trial’s outset. The court ruled that this late amendment came as an “unfair surprise” to the defense. In Pennsylvania, juries can grant punitive damages when a defendant’s actions are deemed outrageous, particularly … Read more

Judge Slashes Baltimore’s $266 Million Verdict Against Drug Giants, Citing Excessive Damages in Opioid Case

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BALTIMORE — A judge has determined that jurors significantly overstepped in their financial award to the city in a major drug-related case against two pharmaceutical giants. Following a verdict last November that held McKesson and AmerisourceBergen accountable for exacerbating Baltimore’s opioid crisis, the presiding judge suggested modifying the initial damages awarded from $266 million to just $52 million. Baltimore City Circuit Judge Lawrence Fletcher-Hill ruled that the jurors’ decision was “grossly excessive” and prompted concern, stating that the initial verdict was “shocking” given the presented evidence. The case centered around claims that the companies had … Read more