Wrongful Termination Economic Damages Expert in Hawaii

By Christopher Skerritt, M.Ed., MBA, Chief of Economic Services · Published · Reviewed

KW Economics prepares economic damages analyses for wrongful termination cases venued in Hawaii: the components the loss claim consists of, the records that drive them, and a present value built to Hawaii's damages rules and venues. Plaintiff and defense.

A wrongful termination economic claim measures what the employee lost when the employment ended, as back pay, front pay, and lost benefits, and how much of that loss has been or should be replaced by other work. Read the full wrongful termination analysis guide.

Hawaii courts and expert standards

Hawaii courts ask whether an expert opinion is relevant and reliable and whether it will help the jury, treating the reliability factors the federal courts use as helpful rather than required and not insisting on general acceptance; the witness is qualified by training and experience. An economic damages report is examined on whether its assumptions have a published basis and fit the record.

Where these cases are heard

Highest court: Hawaii Supreme Court. Federal venues: D. Haw. Court system: courts.state.hi.us.

Damages framework

Hawaii reduces a negligence-based award by the plaintiff's share of fault and bars recovery once that share exceeds the combined fault of the defendants. Prejudgment interest is discretionary, so the report separates past from future amounts and supplies the schedule the court would need to award it. Economic damages are not subject to a general statutory limit outside specific statutory claims.

How the analysis is built

The same four steps apply to a wrongful termination case venued in Hawaii; the damages framework above decides which components enter the total.

  1. Build the but-for compensation path from the pay history and the employer's pay and promotion practices, including the benefit accruals that would have continued.
  2. Compare it with the replacement earnings actually received, or with a reasonable job-search duration and replacement wage level drawn from local occupational data.
  3. Calculate pension and deferred compensation losses from the plan terms and equity losses from the award schedule.
  4. Discount the future components to present value at a stated rate and present back pay, front pay, and benefits separately.

Attorney guides for wrongful termination cases

Other case types in Hawaii

Frequently asked: wrongful termination cases in Hawaii

Which Hawaii courts hear wrongful termination cases?

Wrongful Termination cases venued in Hawaii are heard in the Circuit Court (General jurisdiction; larger civil cases, felonies, family court division). Final appeals run to the Hawaii Supreme Court. Matters within federal jurisdiction proceed in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii.

How does Hawaii's damages framework shape the economic analysis?

Hawaii reduces a negligence-based award by the plaintiff's share of fault and bars recovery once that share exceeds the combined fault of the defendants. Prejudgment interest is discretionary, so the report separates past from future amounts and supplies the schedule the court would need to award it. Economic damages are not subject to a general statutory limit outside specific statutory claims. Hawaii courts ask whether an expert opinion is relevant and reliable and whether it will help the jury, treating the reliability factors the federal courts use as helpful rather than required and not insisting on general acceptance; the witness is qualified by training and experience. An economic damages report is examined on whether its assumptions have a published basis and fit the record.

More questions about wrongful termination analysis

References

Request a consultation on wrongful termination cases in Hawaii or call (201) 343-0700. Plaintiff and defense counsel.