> She's now one of the richest people in the world because her husband ignored well known health warnings. I don't think she gets that much money. First of al

> She's now one of the richest people in the world because her husband ignored well known health warnings. I don't think she gets that much money. First of all, there's a cap on the punitive damages in many states, so even if a higher sum gets awarded, it is automatically reduced. Secondly, I believe the punitive damages aren't always paid out to the plaintiff, just the compensatory damages. Looking at the wording of the actual article, it seems to state that the defendant has to pay it, but it doesn't say how much (if anything) the widow receives. Disclaimer: IANAL