Rebecca Grossman ordered to pay $21M in punitive damages
NBC Los Angeles • • nation
Key Points:
- Rebecca Grossman, co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation, has been ordered to pay $21 million in punitive damages for the 2020 crash that killed two Westlake Village boys, while ex-Dodger Scott Erickson was directed to pay $1.17 million for negligence in the same incident.
- The civil trial jury awarded the Iskander family $176 million in compensatory damages and an additional $21 million in punitive damages, bringing the total award to $198 million, citing malice in Grossman and Erickson's actions.
- Grossman was convicted in 2024 of killing 11-year-old Mark Iskander and 8-year-old Jacob by driving her Mercedes SUV at high speed and striking them in a crosswalk; Erickson was found negligent but not criminally charged.
- The Iskander family expressed gratitude to the jury but acknowledged no verdict can ease the pain of their loss, and they expect appeals from Grossman and Erickson.
- Legal analysts noted the punitive damages reflect juror anger and serve as a message against reckless driving, with Grossman currently serving 15 years to life in prison for second-degree murder and related charges.