Florida Jury Awards $275 Million in Punitive Damages

According to the St. Petersberg Times, a jury has awarded $55 million in compensatory damages and $275 million in punitive damages against a drunk driver who killed a 13-year-old girl. The award seems largely symbolic, since the defendant could never possibly pay it. But if this award survives appeal, it would be the fourth largest punitive damages award ever affirmed in the U.S., as far as we are aware. (The current top five awards are listed in this post.)