Opinion ID: 1110800
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The disparity between the harm or potential harm suffered by the plaintiff and the punitive damages award.

Text: Although the main opinion points out that ratios of up to 4:1 have been upheld against constitutional challenges, I believe that a 1:1 ratio is more appropriate in this case. The Supreme Court of the United States in TXO Production Corp. v. Alliance Resources Corp., 509 U.S. 443, 459, 113 S.Ct. 2711, 125 L.Ed.2d 366 (1993), stated: `Punitive damages should bear a reasonable relationship to the harm that is likely to occur from the defendant's conduct as well as to the harm that actually has occurred. If the defendant's actions caused or would likely cause in a similar situation only slight harm, the damages should be relatively small. If the harm is grievous, the damages should be much greater.' (Quoting Garnes v. Fleming Landfill, Inc., 186 W.Va. 656, 668, 413 S.E.2d 897, 909 (1991)). It is undisputed that Linda McCaleb was injured, but the record indicates that the risk of serious injury was not high. The beds with the defective bed frames were in the motel long before Shiv-Ram acquired it. Several people had bumped the bed with their legs or ankles in a manner similar to the way Linda McCaleb did. One person received emergency medical care, but we are not told the nature of this care or the severity of the injury. Thus, there is no record that anyone else received injuries similar in severity to those suffered by Linda McCaleb. Also, Linda has already been made whole by the compensatory-damages award. I believe that the low risk of serious injury counsels in favor of a modest punitive-damages award.