Court Stands By Exxon Valdez Damages

[Rage for Order]

Source: Reuters

A U.S. appeals court declined on Wednesday to reconsider its decision to make Exxon Mobil Corp. pay $2.5 billion in punitive damages for the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. The punitive damages ruling against Exxon -- originally $5 billion in 1994 -- has been the subject of a long legal battle between the oil company and 32,000 fishermen, Alaska natives and property owners who were awarded the damages.

In December, the court had already cut $2 billion off a $4.5 billion verdict against the company, saying the earlier penalty was too harsh when compared with the economic harm caused by the spill. The split three-judge panel court had also said the energy company's prompt action to clean up the oil and compensate fishermen and others for economic losses lowered the reprehensibility of Exxon's conduct. But the company had asked the court to rehear the case in hopes to further reduce the penalty. It has argued that punitive damages should not be more than $25 million.

"The plaintiffs here suffered no physical injuries - their only claim was that the oil spill harmed their commercial fishing interests," wrote Judge Kozinski, who was appointed by President Ronald Reagan. "After the accident, Exxon acted as a model corporation - it spent over $2 billion to remove oil from the water and adjacent shore and $900 million to restore damaged natural resources."

The Romanian born-judge, famous for his caustic remarks, also added: "If your vessels sail into the vast waters of the Ninth Circuit, a jury can shipwreck your operations through punitive damages."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070523/us_nm/exxonmobil_exxonvaldez_dc

---

I can't believe these pricks still haven't payed the punitive damages, 18 years after the oil spill. And they're going to delay even longer by appealing to the US Supreme Court. And how about that c**ksucker judge in the article? Sounds like a Reagan appointee - "Screw the fisherman...it was only 10 million barrels of oil"

[FluxRostrum]

1. the USS Punitive's run a ground

"If your vessels sail into the vast waters of the Ninth Circuit, a jury can shipwreck your operations through punitive damages."

I thought that's why they called it the JUSTICE system.

[Lasher]

2. A delay of justice is injustice its self

This is one basic thing that's wrong with our justice system. If you have enough money you can delay forever. Just look at Kenny Boy Lay. They dragged that out so long he died before he could be sentenced. And now with his conviction null and void his heirs get to keep all that money he stole.

Just drag it on for a few more decades and all the plaintiffs will be dead.

[micraphone]

3. Exxon Mobil... broke?

"...a jury can shipwreck your operations through punitive damages"

I don't think so. Not ANY time soon, bubba.

Get a grip.

[gratuitous]

4. Ooh, $2 billion in punitive damages

What would that be, about 2½ weeks' of Exxon's profits from last year? Oh, the pain! The pain!

[Rage for Order]

5. No kidding

They made $40 billion in profits last year, but they can't pay $2.5 billion in damages from 18 years ago. They didn't have a problem giving Lee Raymond a $600 million retirement package, but they do have a problem paying what's owed to the commercial fishermen and others damaged by the oil spill. But just ask the Reagan-appointed judge: Exxon behaved as a "model coporation" after the oil spill!