Posted on Dec 16, 2006
Jury awards truck maker $850 million in lawsuit against Freightliner
Portland Business Journal - 5:10 PM PST Friday
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A 12-person jury awarded MAN AG, a German truck manufacturer, more than $850 million in damages Friday afternoon in a lawsuit against Portland truck company Freightliner.
The 81-page verdict concluded that Freightliner transferred assets "with the intent to escape liability" in order to avoid paying a pre-existing judgment of roughly $500 million.
In addition to making the Portland company pay the pre-existing judgment, the jury awarded additional punitive damages of $350 million, including $70 million in damages payable by Freightliner LLC and $280 million payable by Daimler Chrysler North American Holding Corp.
The jury concluded that Freightliner "acted with malice" in the case. The jury decided several Diamler Chrysler subsidiaries committed civil conspiracies in order to avoid paying the pre-existing judgment.
It's unknown if Freightliner will appeal the verdict.
Freightliner is a subsidiary of Germany-based DaimlerChrysler AG. It employs roughly 3,500 in Portland.
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