Historic $45.5 Million Verdict Obtained in Bad Faith Punitive Damage Case

A Pennington County jury returned a verdict for $45.5 million against UPS ($15 million) and Liberty Mutual ($30 million) for terminating physician-prescribed medical care needed because of a work injury. Defendants violated a direct order affirmed by the Supreme Court of South Dakota requiring the defendants to provide the care. Defendants terminated medical care while still under order to provide. Defendants intentionally chose to terminate ongoing medical care, without authority, which forced the worker to go back to Department of Labor to reclaim what she was already entitled to under the law.

“Our efforts will provide an important precedent for many other injured workers who have been the innocent victims of insurers who wrongfully terminate ongoing medical care.” – G. Verne Goodsell & David Barari