L.A. jury awards $16.5 million in punitive damages in discrimination case

Today’s edition of the Daily Journal (subscription required) contains an article about a “record-setting” verdict awarding $21.7 million, including $16.5 million in punitive damages, in an employment discrimination case in L.A. superior court (Rodgriguez v. Valley Vista Services Inc.)  Per the article, the plaintiff claimed she was fired because of a mental disability, but the employer said she was fired because she failed to report to work or call in for three days.