Ernie Ball victorious in patent suit against Earvana

Ernie Ball Inc. has won a patent infringement case against Earvana LLC.

The Coachella-based manufacturer received final word from a federal court judge in Los Angeles on Wednesday that its patent for nut attachments that help tune guitars was protected.

Represented by attorney G. Henry Welles of Riverside-based Best Best & Krieger, Ernie Ball Inc. won $247,525.20 in patent infringement damages and an extra $18,046.67 in pre-judgment interest. The damages were calculated based on what it would have cost Earvana if it had legitimately licensed Ernie Ball’s invention.

Earvana also is barred from making, selling or distributing a variety of its “compensated nuts” in question that help in tuning guitars, as well as guitars with the disputed nuts already pre-installed including its ESP Deluxe Series guitars.

Ernie Ball didn’t win attorneys fees but Earvana would have to pay for the cost of the suit.

Source: http://www.pe.com/