The Alabama state Supreme Court has upheld a jury’s decision to award an Iranian-born businessman $7.5 million in a 2011 defamation lawsuit.
AL.com reports the court issued a unanimous decision Dec. 6 upholding its judgment against Pensacola, Fla. car dealership owner, Bob Tyler.
Shawn Esfahani, who owns Eastern Shore Toyota in Daphne, sued Tyler for slander and proved that his employees lied to shoppers and said he was an Iraqi terrorist who supported insurgents.
The jury awarded Esfahani $2.5 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages.
His attorney originally sought $28 million.
Esfahani’s attorney, Vince Kilgore, says his client plans to use money from the judgment for philanthropic ventures.
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
‘The Arms Race Is On’: Chubb’s Greenberg on Mythos, Middle East 
Hail to High Variance: Rethinking Test Squares and Roof Damage Assessment 
Ransom Attacks up, but Payments Headed Down as Cyber Becomes Top of Mind 
LA Fire Suspect Angry About No Date for New Year’s, Prosecutors Say 
Want to stay up to date?
Get the latest insurance news
sent straight to your inbox.