Court Tosses Former Comp Judge's Award of Punitive Damages in Discrimination Action

A Missouri appellate court overturned a former comp law judge’s $2.505 million award of punitive damages on his claim that he was wrongfully fired in retaliation for complaining about the discrimination he allegedly suffered because of a disability. Case and procedural history: Vacca v. Missouri Department of Labor, No. ED104100, 11/07/2017, published. Facts: Matthew Vacca became an administrative law judge for the Missouri Division of Workers Compensation in 1992. Four years later, he informed the division that he had been diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, a chronic illness. I...