Are actual damages the same as special damages?

Asked by: Alison Ondricka  |  Last update: February 19, 2022
Score: 4.8/5 (54 votes)

Special damages are actual damages you incurred in the accident. Actual damages intend to provide a monetary award to replace what was lost – nothing more.

What is considered as special damages?

In tort law, special damages are damages like car dents or medical expenses that can actually be ascertained, and they are contrasted with general damages, which refer to damages for things like intentional infliction of emotional distress which do not have a set monetary cost.

What are considered actual damages?

In tort law, actual damages is a type of damages which refers to compensation awarded by a court in response to a loss suffered by a party. ... This award does not include punitive damages, which may be awarded when the defendant's actions are especially reckless or malicious.

Are actual damages the same as compensatory damages?

Compensatory damages represent the money awarded to a plaintiff in a lawsuit. ... Actual damages are intended to provide funds to only replace what was lost. General compensatory damages awarded are more complex, as these compensatory damages do not represent a monetary expenditure.

What are the two types of damages?

Generally, there are two types of damages: compensatory and punitive. (The term "damages" typically includes both categories, but the term, "actual damages" is synonymous with compensatory damages, and excludes punitive damages.)

What's the difference between General vs. Special vs. Punitive Damages?

20 related questions found

What are actual damages Philippines?

How do you define actual or compensatory damages? One situation in which actual damages are awarded is when the defendant has inflicted injury upon the plaintiff. Actual damages or compensatory damages refer to the money paid to the plaintiff to cover for the damages caused by the defendant.

What are the different type of damages?

What are the different types of damages?
  • General and Special Damages.
  • Substantial Damages.
  • Aggravated and Exemplary Damages.
  • Liquidated and Unliquidated Damages.
  • Consequential Damage and Incidental Loss.

Is emotional distress an actual damage?

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled this week that a plaintiff cannot collect damages for emotional distress for government violations of the federal Privacy Act. ... Though the term “actual damages” is a “legal term of art,” the Court said its meaning was unclear in the law.

Are punitive damages special damages?

Punitive damages (also known as “exemplary damages” in California) constitute a special, separate category of non-economic damages. Whereas other non-economic damages aim to compensate personal injury plaintiffs for the harms they suffered, punitive damages have a different purpose.

Are lost wages actual damages?

California law allows for plaintiffs to recover lost wages in personal injury cases. ... Both lost wages and lost earning capacity are part of the compensatory damages a plaintiff can recover for a defendant's negligence, gross negligence, recklessness, intentional wrongful acts or strict liability.

What are real damages tort?

Damage is the loss suffered by the person due to the wrongful act of another person whereas, Damages is the amount of money which is paid as compensation for the injury suffered by a person. So, damages are different from damage and it is one of the remedies which is available to the plaintiff.

Which of the following describes actual damages as awarded in some legal cases?

Actual damages awards are designed to make the victim whole by compensating the victim for the harm that has been suffered (past damages) as of the time of trial and all damages likely to be suffered after the trial (future damages). ... Earnings without Injury - Anticipated earnings with injury.

Are special damages the same as economic damages?

Compensatory Damages

Special damages – Sometimes referred to as economic damages, special damages include out-of-pocket expenses that resulted from the negligent actions of the defendant. A goal of awarding special damages is to place the victim in a position they would be in had they not suffered their injuries.

Which of the following is an example of special damages?

Common examples of special damages include the following: Medical expenses. Transportation costs. Loss of wages.

Are special damages covered by insurance?

You are also entitled to full reimbursement of medical special damages. ... General damages, commonly called “pain and suffering,” are intended to compensate you for non-monetary injuries you experience, such as pain, anxiety, and other suffering you have to endure because of your injury.

What is the difference between actual and punitive damages?

punitive damages are the two main types of damages awarded in civil court cases. While courts grant actual damages to plaintiffs to compensate them for a loss they have suffered, they impose punitive damages on a defendant to discourage the behavior that led to the defendant being sued in the first place.

What does specials mean in personal injury?

The Insurance Company's Damages Formula

These expenses are referred to as "medical special damages" or simply "specials." That's the base figure the adjuster uses to figure out how much to pay the injured person for pain, suffering, and other nonmonetary losses, which are called "general" damages.

Is pain and suffering special damages?

General damages represent the types of damages that can't easily be assigned a monetary value, such as pain and suffering, loss of consortium and emotional trauma. ... Special damages include things like medical bills and lost wages. These are your “out of pocket” expenses.

What is a nominal damage?

A trivial sum of money awarded to a plaintiff whose legal right has been technically violated but who has not established that they are entitled to compensatory damages because there was no accompanying loss or harm. ... Barker the court held that the plaintiff was entitled to nominal damages of $100.

What is a general damage?

general damages. n. monetary recovery (money won) in a lawsuit for injuries suffered (such as pain, suffering, inability to perform certain functions) or breach of contract for which there is no exact dollar value which can be calculated.

What is the difference between incidental damages and consequential damages?

The difference between incidental and consequential damages is the cause of the expense or loss. Incidental damages are the direct result of one party's breach of contract. Consequential damages are more indirect, being incurred not as a result of the breach itself, but due to the end result of the breach.

What are the four types of damages?

The main types of damages are compensatory, liquidation, punitive, nominal, and ordinary damages.

What are the various kinds of damages how damages differ from compensation?

Damages are awarded for suffering injury while compensation stands on a higher footing. Compensation aims to place the injured party back in a position as if the injury has not taken place by way of pecuniary relief for the caused injury.

What are the different kinds of damages under the civil code?

  • ACTUAL/ COMPENSATORY DAMAGES. Purpose. Actual or compensatory damages simply make good or replace the loss caused by the wrong. ...
  • MORAL DAMAGES. Purpose. ...
  • NOMINAL DAMAGES. Purpose. ...
  • TEMPERATE DAMAGES. Purpose. ...
  • LIQUIDATED DAMAGES. Purpose. ...
  • EXEMPLARY/CORRECTIVE DAMAGES. Purpose.

How do I prove real damages in the Philippines?

Settled is the rule that actual damages must be proved with reasonable degree of certainty. A party is entitled only up to such compensation for the pecuniary loss that he had duly proven. It cannot be presumed.