Hugo Patt is Awarded $145k in Defamation Suit Against G.O.B.

Hugo Patt

Turning back to the outcome of the defamation claim in which Hugo Patt was successful.  Senior Counsel Dean Barrow, who represented Patt, told News Five today that damages for his client were awarded in two parts.

Dean Barrow

Dean Barrow, Attorney-at-law

“Naturally, we’re very pleased with the decision and with the award.  What the judge did was what we asked in terms of giving an award on two limbs.  The first limb is as compensation for the injury to reputation and distress to feelings caused to Hugo Patt in consequence of the findings of the commission and the publication of their report.  But she also awarded damages on a second limb which is as vindication.  You can get compensatory damages and vindicatory damages.  The vindicatory damages are awarded when the violation of the claimant’s rights is so egregious, so outrageous, so extreme that that violation merits an additional amount in order to try to further assuage the damage done to the claimant, but also in an effort to send a message to those in public authority that you must always act fairly and justly and the more outlandish your action of injustice is, the more you should be made to pay in terms of the damages awarded against you.

Isani Cayetano

“What are we looking at in terms of damages for your client?”

Dean Barrow

“Well the total is a hundred and forty-five [thousand dollars].  He was given, he was awarded ninety-five thousand dollars for compensation for the injury to his feelings and he was awarded fifty thousand dollars as vindication with respect to his claim that look, “The breach of my constitutional rights was so extreme that you need to make me, you need to further try to repair the damage done to me and also you need to send a message to the Commission of Inquiry.  It was on that basis that the second limb, the second quantum of fifty thousand dollars was added to the first quantum of ninety-five thousand [dollars].”