Punitive

Landmark Verdict: Agrochemical Giant Monsanto Hit with $2.25 Billion Punitive Damages in Roundup Cancer Lawsuit

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Philadelphia, PA – Agrochemical giant Monsanto was hit with a staggering $2.25 billion verdict, including $2 billion in punitive damages, by a jury in a lawsuit filed by a man who claimed he developed cancer after using the company’s weed killer, Roundup. John McKivison, 49, alleged that his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was a result of using Roundup on his property for two decades. The unanimous verdict, returned by the jury on Friday, concluded that Roundup is a cancer-causing product and that Monsanto was negligent in failing to warn about its dangers. McKivison’s lawyers, Tom Kline and … Read more

Federal Judge Allows Punitive Damages in Lawsuit Against Trumbull County Commissioners and Sheriff’s Office

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Warren, Ohio – Trumbull County commissioners and members of the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office may face individual liability for punitive damages in a lawsuit brought by Commissioner Niki Frenchko, according to U.S. District Judge Philip Calabrese’s recent order. The judge’s ruling stated that if the case goes to trial, a jury could find that Sheriff Paul Monroe, county Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa, former Commissioner Frank Fuda, and two sheriff’s office sergeants conspired to have Frenchko arrested during a commissioners meeting in July 2022. The lawsuit, filed on Frenchko’s behalf by attorneys David Betras and Matt Miller-Novak, … Read more

Philadelphia Jury Awards $26.2 Million in Punitive Damages to Man Injured in Reckless Truck Crash

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Philadelphia, PA – A Philadelphia jury has awarded $26.2 million to a man injured in a truck crash, with $25 million of that amount being punitive damages. This significant verdict comes just weeks after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court refused to establish a fixed rule limiting the ratio of punitive and compensatory damages. The plaintiff’s lawyers at Morgan & Morgan declined a settlement offer of $1.46 million from the defendants. The case involved Patrick Clemmons, who claimed that he suffered neck and back injuries, as well as a concussion, when his semi-truck was rear-ended by a … Read more

Recent Verdicts Shed Light on the Power of Punitive Damages in Product Liability Cases

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Philadelphia, San Diego, and St. Louis – Four separate products liability trials ended with large plaintiff verdicts in October and November 2023, highlighting the potential danger of punitive damages. Three of these verdicts were against Monsanto in Roundup weed killer cases, while the fourth was against Mitsubishi. The bulk of the awards, totaling $3 billion, was punitive damages alone. In Philadelphia, a jury awarded $175 million to a plaintiff who developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after using Roundup for over 20 years. The jury found Monsanto liable for negligently designing Roundup and failing to warn consumers about … Read more