What Conduct Can Lead to Punitive Damages in California?

California Code 3294 provides for punitive damages in cases that don’t involve a breach of contract. A plaintiff can seek punitive damages where there is clear solid evidence that the defendant, such as an employer is guilty of “oppression, fraud, or malice.” Punitive damages are meant to set an example and are a...

California Employees Entitled to Punitive Damages

As a Los Angeles-based employment law firm representing employees only, we seek punitive damages for our employee-clients who are harmed by adverse employment actions, such as whistle blowers who are terminated for refusing to violate the law. The standards for awarding of punitive damages are "malice, oppression or fr...

Punitive Damages in WhistleBlower and Retaliation Cases

A recent case, Izell vs. Union Carbide Corporation, has upheld a punitive damages award of 18 million dollars, even though the compensatory portion of the verdict was reduced by the trial judge from $30 to $6 Million. This is very good news for all California employees who win punitive damages based on whistleblo...

Whistle Blower Retaliation Awards for Punitive Damages

A FLordia resident received what is probably the highest damage award in history against R.J.Reynolds Tobacco Comkpany. The verict was 23.6 Billion (with a B!), based on "only" $17 Million compensatory losses. Punitive damages are available under California State Law (Civil Code 3294, 3295) when an "officer, director o...