On January 26, 2017, Console Mattiacci Law, LLC won a jury verdict in federal court on behalf of the former employee, Robert Braden, in an age discrimination case against Lockheed Martin Corporation. Mr. Braden was represented by Rahul Munshi and Emily R. Derstine Friesen, both of Console Mattiacci Law, LLC. The unanimous jury verdict was rendered after a four day trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey before the Honorable Judge Renee Marie Bumb. At the time of his layoff, Mr. Braden was 66 years old and had worked at Lockheed Martin for approximately 29 years. The case involved a reduction in force which Mr. Braden claimed was an effort by Lockheed Martin to target older workers in a scheme to lay them off and replace them with younger workers. The verdict included a punitive damages award in the amount of $50,000,000, pursuant to the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination; all of the economic loss sought, totaling $520,000; liquidated damages of $520,000, pursuant to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act; and pain and suffering damages of $520,000. The verdict is one of the largest ever obtained by an individual plaintiff in an age discrimination case.
Post Verdict Update: The $50,000,000 punitive damages award was overturned on a post-trial motion by the trial court judge and a new trial was granted on punitive damages. The case settled prior to the new trial.
Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.