• Litigation Consulting

    Evidence of Actual Monetary Loss is Required

    When Calculating the Exemplary Damages Cap In a recent Texas Court of Appeals case, the jury awarded plaintiff $15,000,000 in exemplary damages; the Court reduced this amount citing section 41.008(b)(1) of the Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code, which caps exemplary damages at two times the amount of “economic damages,” plus up to $750,000 in non-economic damages.  The question on appeal was whether the jury’s finding of “pecuniary loss” was the same as “economic damages” for purposes of Chapter 41.  The Court emphasized the word “actual” in the statutory definition of “economic damages”.  The decision features a dissent from Justice…