Opinion ID: 200368
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Other Damages Issues

Text: 102 In addition to profits based on the infringement, Danielson is also entitled to any actual damages it suffered. 17 U.S.C. § 504(b). If, for example, Danielson demonstrated the amount of compensation that it might have obtained from WCP, but had lost because WCP unlawfully copied the drawings instead, that sum would serve as a good measure of actual damages. The district court determined that the jury had added $120,000 to its award of copyright damages and that this amount was overly speculative, and so the court reduced the award commensurately. Danielson appeals this decision. We are concerned that the court's response may itself have depended on speculation, but by vacating the damages award we have eliminated the need to decide this question. We also vacate the district court's alternative order of remittur. Danielson may offer evidence to show actual damages in any further proceedings to calculate damages. 103 Finally, Danielson appeals the district court's denial of prejudgment interest. We review this decision for abuse of discretion. Hogan v. Bangor & Aroostook R.R., 61 F.3d 1034, 1038 (1st Cir.1995). In ruling from the bench, the district court stated that it relied on Murray v. Shaw Industries, Inc., 990 F.Supp. 46 (D.Mass. 1997). That case found that prejudgment interest was inappropriate where the entire damages award was composed of disgorged profits from an infringer, because, unlike actual damages, the plaintiff never had those funds and so deserved no compensation for the lost use of the money while the case was pending. Id. at 48. This reasoning is sound and not an abuse of discretion. Danielson offers no support for its assertion that the standards for awarding prejudgment interest and attorneys' fees are the same, and we find none. We do note, however, that after further proceedings Danielson's award may include some actual damages. If so, the district court may, in its discretion, choose to revisit this issue.