Jury Awards $22 Million In Punitive Damages In Iskander Family's Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Jurors today awarded $22 million in punitive damages in the lawsuit over two young brothers killed by a speeding and impaired SUV driver in Westlake Village, California, in 2020.

Scott Erickson is to pay $1.17 million, and Rebecca Grossman is liable for an additional $21 million.

Judge Huey Cotton's clerk published the verdict at 11:40 a.m. in Los Angeles.

01:27 "We, the jury, in the above entitled action, find the following special verdict on the questions submitted to us."

"Question number one: What amount of punitive damages, if any, do you award plaintiff Karim Iskander as successor and interest to Decedent Jacob Iskader against defendant Rebecca Grossman? $21 million."

"Question number two: What amount of punitive damages, if any, do you award plaintiffs against defendant Scott Erickson?"
"$1.17 million."

02:08 "Anyone need further polling? You guys are like pros now."

03:32 "Members of the jury, this completes your duties in this case on behalf of the parties and their attorneys. Thank you for your time and your service."

04:49 "I am now relieving you, including the alternates. I'm now relieving you of this restriction, but I have one other admonishment, admonition. Yes, you now have the absolute right to discuss or not to discuss your deliberations and your verdict with anyone."

"It is appropriate for the parties, their attorneys, or representatives to ask you to discuss the case, but any such discussion may occur only with your consent, and only if the discussion is at a reasonable time and place. You should immediately report any unreasonable or unwelcomed contact with you to the court. If you do choose to discuss the case with anyone, feel free to discuss it from your own perspective, but be respectful of the other jurors and their feelings and perspective. Thank you for your time and your service."

06:01 "And the alternates. I can't imagine what the alternates have gone through through all these times of deliberation. I know you didn't get to participate in Taco Tuesday with the rest of the group, and that was, that was a loss. But we can't have asked for a more attentive jury and more conscientious jury, a more focused group of individuals."

"You've been exemplary, and for that, on behalf of everyone, I thank you. I caution you that certainly the media is going to try to talk to you, you decide, the attorneys and others may try to talk to you is something, it's customary, it's, it's a good thing, it helps everybody, but only at your time and your place."

The jury on June 2 awarded $176 million in compensatory damages for the deaths of 11-year-old Mark and 8-year-old Jacob Iskander, who were struck by Grossman's Mercedes-Benz AMG in a crosswalk on Sept. 29, 2020.

Erickson was speeding in an SUV near Grossman, and witnesses said they appeared to be racing.

The compensatory verdict included $8 million in past damages and $51 million in future damages for Mark's death, $6 million in past and $42 million in future for Jacob's death, $10 million to Nancy Iskander for past emotional distress and $25 million for future, and $6 million for past emotional distress and $28 million for future to younger brother Zachary Iskander.

Jurors agreed Grossman and Erickson acted with malice or oppression, which opened them up to possible punitive damages. Witnesses in the punitive phase included Grossman's husband, plastic surgeon Peter Grossman, who testified about transferring assets out of his wife's name after the crash.

The Iskanders' lawyer Brian Panish suggested on Tuesday that jurors award $20 million in punitives against Rebecca Grossman and $1 million against Erickson, who is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. The jury's verdict is $1.17 million more than he suggested.

One juror answered no in polling when asked if he agreed with the verdicts. It's unclear why he disagreed.

Видео Jury Awards $22 Million In Punitive Damages In Iskander Family's Wrongful Death Lawsuit канала Meghann Cuniff