Illinois jury awards $100 million in punitive damages against ConAgra

BusinessWeek reports that a jury in federal district court in Illinois has awarded $81 million in compensatory damages and $100 million in punitive damages against ConAgra Foods, Inc.  The case involves an explosion in a grain elevator in 2010 that left three workers severely injured. Interestingly, ConAgra says the entire amount is covered by insurance.  I suspect their insurers may disagree.  I don’t know what law is being applied in this particular case but in most states, including California, punitive damages are not insurable (notwithstanding some arguments to the contrary).