As reported yesterday here on eWrestlingNews.com, Hulk Hogan won a $115 million judgment after suing Gawker Media after they published a clip from a sex tape featuring Hogan and Bubba The Love Sponge’s wife – Heather Clem.
TMZ is now reporting that the number could actually increase after a Florida jury may force Gawker to pay punitive damages.
The jury is currently scheduled to meet next week and will figure out how much money to add to the current $115 million judgment. Punitive damages are created to punish defendants for “intentional wrongdoing”. The Florida Supreme Court usually hands out punitive damages that are two of three times the compensatory damages.
If the jury rules that Gawker will pay three times the $115 million amount, then that would be an additional $345 million. When all is said and done, it’s possible Gawker will be forced to pay Hogan $460 million. Of course, a lot of of that will go to lawyer fees, etc.
As you’d expect, Gawker plans to appeal the ruling.
