Are special damages the same as punitive damages?

Asked by: Prof. Edd West MD  |  Last update: August 14, 2022
Score: 4.8/5 (28 votes)

General and special damages are compensatory damages, which serve to compensate the plaintiff for economic loss and pain and suffering, attempting to make them whole. Punitive damages are meant to punish the defendant for his or her negligence or recklessness.

What types of damages is punitive?

Punitive damages are awarded to punish a wrongdoer. There are other modifying terms placed in front of the word damages like "liquidated damages," (contractually established damages) and "nominal damages" (where the court awards a nominal amount such as one dollar).

What are the 3 types of damages?

Types of Damages
  • COMPENSATORY. Compensatory damages are generally the most identifiable and concrete type of damages. ...
  • GENERAL. General damages are sought in conjunction with compensatory damages. ...
  • PUNITIVE. Punitive damages are meant to punish a Defendant for particularly egregious conduct.

What is an example of special damages?

Types of Special Damages

Lost wages and loss of earnings. Medical treatment costs (including past and/or future) Costs toward everyday household assistance necessitated by the injury. Loss of one-of-a-kind items.

What is the difference between general and special damages?

There are two separate types of compensatory damages: “general damages” and “special damages.” General damages are the non-economic damages, commonly referred to as pain and suffering. Special Damages are economic damages, the medical bills, the lost earnings, all out-of-pocket expenses incurred because of the injury.

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

40 related questions found

What is the meaning of special damages?

DEFINITIONS1. money paid to an injured party in a legal case for financial losses such as loss of earnings, property damage and medical expenses.

Is emotional distress a special damage?

The victims of accidents and serious injuries often experience emotional distress for years or decades, and some will experience emotional distress for the rest of their lives. In California, emotional distress is considered a form of non-economic damages.

Why are special damages awarded in only certain circumstances?

Some contracts relate to matters where losses are hard to quantify. These contracts often contain a condition requiring one of the parties to give up their right to sue for special damages. Certain jurisdictions also only allow special damages claims if the losses suffered were unavoidable.

How are special damages calculated?

Special damages are out-of-pocket expenses that can be determined by adding together all the plaintiff's quantifiable financial losses. However, these losses or expenses must be proven with specificity.

What are the 5 types of damages?

There are six different types of damages: compensatory, incidental, consequential, nominal, liquidated, and (sometimes) punitive.

Are special damages compensatory?

Special and general damages are both types of compensatory damages in a personal injury lawsuit. Compensatory damages are designed to compensate an injured victim for the expenses and losses he or she incurred due to a defendant's mistake.

What is non punitive damage?

Related Definitions

Non-Compensatory Damages means any and all damages awarded by a court of competent jurisdiction that are penal in nature, including, without limitation, punitive, punitory, exemplary, vindictive, imaginary or presumptive damages. Sample 2.

What three 3 Things Must a court consider in reviewing punitive damages?

To ensure that unconstitutional punishment is not imposed in the form of punitive damages, the Court has set forth three "guideposts" for courts to consider in reviewing punitive damages awards: "(1) the degree of reprehensibility of the defendant's misconduct; (2) the disparity between the actual or potential harm ...

What are the four types of damages?

One of the most common remedies comes in the form of damages, or monetary awards, which are further broken down into four general categories.
  • Compensatory Damages. Compensatory damages (or “actual damages”) are specifically meant to make up for the plaintiff's losses. ...
  • Punitive Damages. ...
  • Liquidation Damages. ...
  • Nominal Damages.

What are three 3 types of damages award in a tort case?

There are 3 types of damages: economic, non-economic, and exemplary.

What do punitive damages mean?

Punitive damages are awarded in addition to actual damages in certain circumstances. Punitive damages are considered punishment and are typically awarded at the court's discretion when the defendant's behavior is found to be especially harmful.

When can special damages be granted?

Special damages are determined on the market value at the time of the loss arose. But in case of tort claim, the attorney may try to secure the claim by special damages. Such as: Replacement of damaged property.

What is schedule of special damages?

Schedule of Special Damages

This can be prepared at any time during the process of the claim and is likely to be regularly updated as the claim proceeds. The Special Damages claim could include: losses of earnings. a claim for any care and assistance required by you.

What are the two types of compensatory damages?

There are two types of compensatory damages—general and actual. 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 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.

What qualifies as emotional damages?

Emotional damages can be the mental repercussions of physical wounds such as a brain trauma that leads to forgetfulness, or insecurities caused by permanent scars, or physical reactions that stem from emotionally charged scenarios.

Can you sue for narcissistic abuse?

Yes, you can sue for emotional abuse. Attorneys across the United States recognize emotional abuse as a cause of action, allowing families of those victims of emotional abuse in nursing homes to sue in response to their loved ones' mistreatment.

How do you prove emotional damage?

To prove a claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress in California a plaintiff must prove that:
  1. The defendant's conduct was outrageous,
  2. The conduct was either reckless or intended to cause emotional distress; and.
  3. As a result of the defendant's conduct the plaintiff suffered severe emotional distress.

What is the difference between general and punitive damages?

General and special damages are compensatory damages, which serve to compensate the plaintiff for economic loss and pain and suffering, attempting to make them whole. Punitive damages are meant to punish the defendant for his or her negligence or recklessness.

What are special damages breach of contract?

Special damages (also called “consequential damages”) cover any loss incurred by the breach of contract because of special circumstances or conditions that are not ordinarily predictable. These are actual losses caused by the breach, but not in a direct and immediate way.