In US law, each case sets precedent for the cases that come after it. This is now a damages figure that will be referred to by other lawyers. Imagine if a corporation does something like this, the way eBay was terrorizing a couple? Their damages are now in the billions rather than the hundreds of thousands.

I felt like that when I initially read this. But now, after reading some of the other comments, I think I see where they're coming from. I now see it more like "You destroyed someone else's entire life; the damages caused by that is essentially unlimited, so you will pay them unlimited damages. Give them all your money for the rest of your life."

I'm not sure I agree with the principle, but I do see the point and it does make sense as a figure for me now.