John Oleszkowicz v. Exxon Mobil Corporation, Exxon Mobil Oil Corporation, Humble Incorporated and Intracoastal Tubular Services, Inc.

GUIDRY, Justice.

|TWe granted the writ application to determine whether the plaintiffs claim for punitive and exemplary damages is barred by res judicata and, if so, whether “exceptional circumstances” exist to justify not applying res judicata to bar the claim, as set forth in La.Rev.Stat. 13:4232(A). Although the court of appeal cited “exceptional circumstances” to justify relief from the res judicata effect of the jury’s verdict on the issue of punitive damages, we find no such “exceptional circumstances” exist under the facts of this case. For the reasons set forth below, we conclude the…