Opinion ID: 1617528
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: should a new trial be granted on the issue of punitive damages?

Text: The Fehrings argue that the jury should have awarded them punitive damages, based upon the finding that Republic acted in bad faith and, thus, a new trial on this issue is warranted. The Anderson decision acknowledged, however, that punitive damages do not necessarily flow from a finding of bad faith. Noting that punitive damages function as a deterrent and are awarded to punish wrongdoers, the Anderson court stated that such damages are appropriate only where the wrong was inflicted `under circumstances of aggravation, insult or cruelty, with vindictiveness or malice.' Anderson v. Continental Ins. Co., 85 Wis. 2d at 697, citing Mid-Continent Refrigerator Co. v. Straka, 47 Wis. 2d 739, 746, 178 N.W.2d 28 (1970). In Wangen v. Ford Motor Co., 97 Wis. 2d 260, 268, 294 N.W.2d 437 (1980), this court used the term outrageous as an abbreviation for the type of conduct which justifies the imposition of punitive damages. See also, Fahrenberg v. Tengel, 96 Wis. 2d 211, 222, 291 N.W.2d 516 (1980). When we review the record in the instant case, we do not find any evidence of malice or cruelty shown by Republic toward the Fehrings. At most, we note that evidence was presented concerning Republic's cancellation of the insurance coverage on the Fehrings' home in November of 1979. [6] Robert Long, the district office manager at Republic, testified that the Fehrings' policy had been previously renewed on June 1, 1979. However, the damage which is disputed in this case occurred in February of 1979 and, thus, was covered by the insurance policy in effect at that time. Therefore, the cancelled policy is not the one with which we are concerned in this lawsuit, and we find Republic's actions under this policy have little or no relevancy to the instant case. Accordingly, we find no evidence in the record indicating that Republic exhibited malice or cruelty toward the Fehrings, and we deny the Fehrings' request for a new trial on the issue of punitive damages.