Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_17-cv-00489/USCOURTS-cand-5_17-cv-00489-3/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 110
Nature of Suit: Insurance
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Breach of Contract

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Case No.: 5:17-cv-00489-EJD

ORDER RE FINAL JURY INSTRUCTIONS AND VERDICT FORM

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

YAHOO! INC.,

Plaintiff,

v.

NATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE 

COMPANY OF PITTSBURGH, PA,

Defendant.

Case No. 5:17-cv-00489-EJD 

ORDER RE FINAL JURY 

INSTRUCTIONS AND VERDICT 

FORM

The purpose of this Order to is to notify the parties of the court’s intended rulings on the 

parties’ outstanding jury instructions and verdict form disputes.

A. Jury Instructions

The court intends to give the following version of Final Jury Instruction No. 16:

If you decide that Yahoo has proved its claim against 

National Union, you also must decide how much money will 

reasonably compensate Yahoo for the harm. This compensation is 

called “damages.”

The amount of damages must include an award for all harm 

that was caused by National Union, even if the particular harm could 

not have been anticipated.

Yahoo must prove the amount of its damages. However, 

Yahoo does not have to prove the exact amount of damages that will 

provide reasonable compensation for the harm. You must not 

speculate or guess in awarding damages. You must not include in 

your award any damages to punish or make an example of National 

Union. 

The following are the specific items of damages claimed by 

Yahoo for bad faith:

1. The amount Yahoo incurred to defend the In re Yahoo Mail 

Case 5:17-cv-00489-EJD Document 167 Filed 05/17/19 Page 1 of 2
Case No.: 5:17-cv-00489-EJD

ORDER RE FINAL JURY INSTRUCTIONS AND VERDICT FORM

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Northern District of California

Litigation (i.e., the consolidated Holland, Kevranian, Nobles, 

and Zelaya lawsuits).

2. The amount Yahoo paid to settle the In re Yahoo Mail Litigation 

(i.e., the consolidated Holland, Kevranian, Nobles, and Zelaya 

lawsuits).

3. The cost of reasonable attorney fees incurred to obtain policy 

benefits. To recover attorney fees, Yahoo must prove that 

because of National Union’s breach of the obligation of good 

faith and fair dealing it was reasonably necessary for it to hire an 

attorney to recover the policy benefits. 

The additional language National Union requests—“Yahoo may recover attorney 

fees it incurred to obtain policy benefits but not attorney fees it incurred for other 

purposes”—is omitted because it is inconsistent with item number 1 and may 

confuse the jury.

B. Final Verdict Form

The court intends to adopt Yahoo’s version of Question Nos. 2 and 3 

because they track Final Jury Instruction No. 16. 

The court intends to adopt National Union’s proposed instructions inserted 

between Question 3 and 4, as modified below:

Answer Question 4 if you awarded any damages in response to 

Question 3. If you awarded no damages in response to Question 3, 

stop here, answer no further questions, and have the foreperson sign 

and date this form.

“[A]ctual damages, even nominal damages, are an absolute predicate for an award

of punitive damages.” Amerigraphics, Inc. v. Mercury Casualty Co., 182 Cal. App. 4th 1538, 

1557 (2010).

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 17, 2019

______________________________________

EDWARD J. DAVILA

United States District Judge

Case 5:17-cv-00489-EJD Document 167 Filed 05/17/19 Page 2 of 2