Date: 02-24-2007

Case Style: Kelly Grant v. Progressive Casualty Insurance Co.

Case Number: 5:05-cv-01467-M

Judge: Vicki Miles-LaGrange

Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, Oklahoma County

Plaintiff's Attorney:

Woody Glass, Stanley Ward and Scott Brockman of Ward & Glass LLP, Norman, Oklahoma

A. Craig Tomlin, Law Office of A. Craig Tomlin, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Defendant's Attorney:

Jerry Pignato, Tom Cooper, Brad Roberson and Paul Kolker of Pignato & Cooper, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Jenny McElroy of Elliott & Associates, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Description:

Kelly Grant, age 38, sued Progressive Casualty Insurance Co. under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. 2000e, claiming that she was discriminated against by Defendant because of her sex. Plaintiff alleged that her gender was a significant factor in Progressive's employment decisions toward her and that she was a victim of gender discrimination, retaliation and a hostile work environment. Despite the fact that her job performance as an Injury Operations Manager II, a male state claims manager disbanded the casualty branch, demoted her and reduced her salary in 2002. She also claimed that her authority to settle claims was reduced to a level well below that held by similarly situated male employees, that she was excluded from meetings that were attended by every other manager in Oklahoma and had other restrictions placed on her that were not placed on male managers.

Defendant denied wrongdoing of any kind in its handling of its employment relationship with Plaintiff.

Outcome: Plaintiff's verdict for $1,050,000 in compensatory damages and $60 million million in punitive damages which could ultimately result in a judgment in her favor of $206,000 in back pay and about $600,000 in front pay on top of the $300,000, which would push the total verdict to more than $1 million.

Plaintiff's Experts: Unavailable

Defendant's Experts: Unavailable

Comments: None