$24 Million Patent Infringement Award For Utah Company
If you have seen the popular “Will it blend?” ads on YouTube, you (and the millions of other viewers) probably did not guess that the company was involved in one of the largest patent infringement cases in Utah. An attorney in Utah can help you with your patent infringement case.
Utah company, K-TEC Inc., owner of the popular blender Blendtec, known for it’s “Will it blend” ads, had its $22 million patent infringement judgment upheld in appeals court. A Utah patent attorney helped them win this big judgment, and with the added interest it is now up to $24 million.
The case started in 2006, when K-TEC brought a suit against Vita-Mix for infringing on Blendtec’s five-sided blending jar, one of its patented technologies. There was a jury trial in 2010 and K-TEC was awarded $11 million.
K-TEC then filed a motion asking the judge to award enhanced damages, attorney fees and post verdict damages. The federal judge found evidence of deliberate copying by Vita-Mix and that they tried to conceal their infringing activity. This caused the judge to double the judgment to $22 million.
Vita-Mix took the judgment to the appeals court. On appeal, the panel of judges said the trial was fair and the district court properly entered summary judgment of literal infringement.
A Utah patent attorney believes this sends a clear message that infringing on someone else’s patents and ideas will not be tolerated. It also establishes even greater faith in the U.S. patent system.
If you need help protecting your ideas, contact a Utah patent attorney for help getting the process started. Or, if someone has deliberately copied your patent, an attorney in Utah can help with your patent infringement case.