Verdict: Plaintiffs, $5,093,000

Venue: Collier County, Florida

Plaintiffs: Jeanne Lesniak (61), Robert Lesniak(58), and the estate of Theresa Lesniak (91, deceased)

Defendant: Peter Ferreira

Insurer: Government Employees Insurance Co.($25,000 policy limit)

Theresa Lesniak was driving her car in a residential area onMarco Island in Florida, on November 30, 2013, when a Nissan Maximadriven by Peter Ferreira slammed into her driver's side door.Lesniak was killed instantly. Allegedly, the black box inFerreira's car showed that he was driving 77 mph at the time of theimpact, despite the fact that he was in a 30 mph zone.

Lesniak's two children, Jeanne and Robert, filed suit to recoverdamages for funeral expenses, their pain and suffering for losingtheir mother, as well as punitive damages from Ferreira. Theircounsel alleged that Ferreira, who had allegedly consumed threebeers and four shots of liquor in the four hours before the crash,was negligent and had recklessly sped through a stop sign beforebroadsiding Lesniak's car.

Ferreira declined to take a breathalyzer test to determine if hewas driving while impaired, and was charged with vehicularmanslaughter. He was tried and convicted of manslaughter andsentenced to 14 years in prison. Since he had conceded liabilityprior to the trial, the purpose of the trial was to determinedamages for the estate.

While the estate counsel argued that Lesniak's children shouldbe awarded $8 million in compensatory and punitive damages, defensecounsel argued that they should only receive $100,000 each and nopunitive damages.

After two hours of deliberations, the jury awarded compensatorydamages of $2.5 million each to Lesniak's children for their painand suffering; $18,000 for the estate's funeral expenses, as wellas punitive damages of $75,000.