Damages calculation totalling $4.3 million

Karin Segall of Foley & Lardner LLP writing for World Trademark Report on the recent case of Gucci America Inc v MyReplicaHandbag.com (Case 2008 WL 512789, February 26 2008) highlights that $4.3 million has been awarded by a US Court in a counterfeiting matter. According to Segall:

"The underlying case involved claims by Gucci America Inc, Chloé SAS and Alfred Dunhill Ltd against several defendants for offering a variety of counterfeit products bearing the trademarks GUCCI, CHLOE and DUNHILL."

"In order to determine the amount of statutory damages per type of goods, the court surveyed case law and noted that most judges award well below the maximum on the basis of "per mark per type of goods". Ultimately, the court drew from its own experience in a similar case in which damages in the amount of $100,000 per mark infringed was awarded. Using that number, it awarded $3.6 million to Gucci, as there were six marks infringed and six different types of counterfeit goods (ie, $100,000 multiplied by six marks multiplied by six types of goods). Chloe was awarded $400,000 based on counterfeiting of four marks and one type of product, and Dunhill was awarded $300,000 for three marks and one type of product. Altogether, the defendants were thus jointly and severally liable for a total amount of $4.3 million."