In the world before the Supreme Court's recent Philip Morris decision, the risk of giving the plaintiff — who might only be one of many
victims of the defendant's conduct — the entire punitive damages
award was that it would more likely undermine the state's in - terest in ensuring a fair distribution of both compensatory and retributive damages for oth - ers, since a crippling retributive damages
award might impair the availability of adequate
compensation funds (or punitive damages) for future claimants.