Featured Verdict: 155 Million Dollar Employment Verdict

Employment Law

Andrew Rudnicki v. Farmers Insurance Exchange, et al. (Los Angeles Super Ct. No. BC630158): On December 16, 2021 jury entered a $155 million verdict in favor of plaintiff Andrew Rudnicki in a wrongful termination case. Plaintiff alleged that his employer, Farmers Insurance inexplicably terminated him after 37 years of employment, within several months of his anticipated testimony of a FEHA case. Plaintiff alleged that Farmers, afraid of his testimony in the FEHA matter, terminated him out of retaliation. Plaintiff filed suit and asserted causes of action including age discrimination, disability discrimination and retaliation. Defendant denied all of plaintiff’s contentions, claiming that they terminated plaintiff for inappropriate conduct with female co-workers and a lack of good judgment. A jury awarded $5.4 million in compensatory damages, and punitive damages in the amount of $75 million each against Farmers Insurance Exchange and Farmers Group, inc.