Opinion ID: 1221981
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: punitive damages for retaliatory discharge

Text: The Bank challenges the correctness of punitive damages awarded against it on the retaliatory discharge theory. In Syllabus Point 1 of O'Brien v. Snodgrass, 123 W.Va. 483, 16 S.E.2d 621 (1941), we said: Punitive or exemplary damages are such as, in a proper case, a jury may allow against the defendant by way of punishment for wilfulness, wantonness, malice, or other like aggravation of his wrong to the plaintiff, over and above full compensation for all injuries directly or indirectly resulting from such wrong. See also Addair, supra; Spencer v. Steinbrecher, 152 W.Va. 490, 164 S.E.2d 710 (1968); Ennis v. Brawley, 129 W.Va. 621, 41 S.E.2d 680 (1946). From a policy standpoint, we have recognized in Hensley v. Erie Insurance Co., W.Va., 283 S.E.2d 227 (1981), that punitive damages serve several purposes. Among the primary ones are: (1) to punish the defendant; (2) to deter others from pursuing a similar course; and, (3) to provide additional compensation for the egregious conduct to which the plaintiff has been subjected. [17] Controversy exists over the subject of punitive damages as some critics argue that such damages originally came about to enhance the plaintiff's recovery because of the undeveloped nature of tort damage law. These critics argue that to state the usual rubric that punitive damages are to punish the defendant overlooks the obvious fact that the plaintiff is receiving the additional money. [18] The tort of retaliatory discharge was fashioned as an exception to the common law rule that an employer had an absolute right to discharge an at will employee. Harless, supra ; Annot., 62 A.L.R.3d 271 (1975). This exception was drawn not to cover all at will firings but only those where it could be demonstrated that the discharge was in retaliation for the employee's exercising some substantial public policy right. The remedy afforded was not reinstatement but damages occasioned by the discharge. We have in the preceding portion of this opinion sanctioned as an element of recovery a claim for emotional distress. Because there is a certain open-endedness in the limits of recovery for emotional distress in a retaliatory discharge claim, we decline to automatically allow a claim for punitive damages to be added to the damage picture. The recovery for emotional distress as well as other compensatory damages such as lost wages should adequately compensate the plaintiff. We do recognize that where the employer's conduct is wanton, willful or malicious, punitive damages may be appropriate. [19] The facts of this case do not demonstrate the type of wanton, willful or malicious conduct that traditionally authorizes the right to punitive damages. The mere existence of a retaliatory discharge will not automatically give rise to the right to punitive damages. The plaintiff must prove further egregious conduct on the part of the employer. We, therefore, conclude that the trial court was incorrect in its post-trial ruling by not overturning the punitive damage award in regard to the retaliatory discharge theory.