What are the pecuniary damages?
Asked by: Fay Herzog I | Last update: June 27, 2025Score: 4.9/5 (46 votes)
Pecuniary damages are economic losses that can be easily quantifiable - money lost, future lost earnings, medical bills, etc. Non-pecuniary damages are things that have no clear monetary value that have been damaged by the defendant. These include mental anguish and pain and suffering.
What are examples of pecuniary damages?
- Past and future loss of income.
- Past and future housekeeping and home maintenance expenses.
- Future care costs.
- Future medical and rehabilitation costs.
- Travel expenses.
- Funeral expenses (in the case of death).
What is an example of punitive damages?
A drunk driver going 80 mph in a 35 mph zone causes a devastating accident. Punitive damages would punish this extremely reckless behavior. A surgeon botches a surgery while under the influence of prescription drugs used recreationally. Punitive damages would punish their medical malpractice.
What is pecuniary or non-pecuniary damage?
The criteria established by the Court's case-law when it rules on the ques- tion of just satisfaction (Article 41 of the Convention) are: (1) pecuniary damage, that is to say losses actually sustained as a direct consequence of the alleged violation; (2) non-pecuniary damage, meaning compensation for suffering and ...
What are pecuniary damages in torts?
To determine the pecuniary damages, the court will look at those foreseeable losses that naturally come from the loss. These include interest on any lost wages or money, investment losses or any loss that is reasonably foreseeable by both parties.
Pecuniary Damages vs. Non-Pecuniary Damages
What are the actual pecuniary damages?
Pecuniary damages are economic losses that can be easily quantifiable - money lost, future lost earnings, medical bills, etc. Non-pecuniary damages are things that have no clear monetary value that have been damaged by the defendant. These include mental anguish and pain and suffering.
What is an example of pecuniary?
If something has to do with money, it's pecuniary. If your grandfather's antique watch has pecuniary value, it's worth money — you could sell it for cash if you weren't sentimentally attached to keeping it.
What are pecuniary damages in a contract?
The definition of the word pecuniary is relating to money. In the context of a breach of contract, any losses which can be measured in financial terms will be seen as pecuniary. Pecuniary losses are sometimes referred to as 'economic damages'.
Are pecuniary damages taxable?
The good news is that, in most cases, personal injury settlements are not taxable in California.
Are special damages pecuniary damages?
Pecuniary damages, or special damages, cover tangible, quantifiable losses. These include medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage. Courts can easily calculate these damages based on bills, receipts, and other documentary or testamentary evidence.
Are emotional damages punitive?
Punitive damages may be available if you suffered intentional emotional distress, particularly if the harmful conduct was malicious or egregious.
What evidence is needed for punitive damages?
You must present “clear and convincing” evidence to win punitive damages. To meet this burden, you must prove that your claim is substantially more likely to be true than untrue. In medical malpractice cases, you can only request punitive damages if the court permits you to file an amended claim requesting them.
What type of damages are awarded for pain and suffering?
Damages for personal injury cases related to pain and suffering specifically include compensation for essentially having to “go through” the physical and/or emotional pain and suffering that you otherwise would never have to go through if this injury accident never occurred.
How to calculate pecuniary damages?
How are pecuniary damages calculated? As mentioned above, pecuniary damages are the actual amount that an injury or accident has cost the plaintiff, so often that amount is what is awarded to them, calculated off of their thorough records and receipts.
What damages make plaintiff whole?
Compensatory damages
These damages are designed to “make the plaintiff whole.” This means restoring the injured party to the position they would have been in—financially, physically, and emotionally—if the injury or harm hadn't happened.
What are pecuniary matters?
Pecuniary damages are all special damages, but not general damages, which a person could recover against the defendant in a civil action arising out of the facts or events constituting the defendant's criminal activities and includes: Losses including earnings and medical expenses.
Can the IRS take money from a lawsuit settlement?
The IRS can only pursue those portions of the settlement not intended as reimbursement for property loss or physical injury. So, while this may not always happen, it is possible that the IRS might take at least some of your personal injury settlement.
How to avoid paying taxes on punitive damages?
Using the Plaintiff Recovery Trust often doubles (or even triples) the amount plaintiffs get to keep after taxes. And it's the only way plaintiffs receiving punitive damages can avoid being taxed on their attorney's fees.
Can I gift my settlement check?
Your settlement check is meant to be used for the personal injuries that you suffered from your accident. If you sign over the settlement check to someone else, it is the same as saying, “No, I'm good.
What is an example of a pecuniary damage?
Some examples of pecuniary damages include: Medical Costs, which may include ambulance bills, hospital bills, doctors' bills medication expenses, etc. Lost Wages, which usually include income that's lost because the claimant can't work as a result of the incident in question.
Can you claim damages for loss of reputation?
A successful claimant in a defamation claim is entitled to recover, as general damages, a sum which will compensate them for the wrong suffered. That sum must compensate them for the damage to their reputation, vindicate their good name and take account of the distress and humiliation which the publication has caused.
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.
What is a pecuniary amount?
: consisting of or measured in money.
What are non pecuniary damages compensation?
Non-pecuniary damages are awarded to an injured plaintiff to compensate for various types of intangible losses, such as: Loss of amenities – the impact of the injury on the plaintiff's ability to complete activities. Loss of expectation of life – loss caused by the injury's reduction in life expectancy.
What is pecuniary liable?
Pecuniary Liability
Being pecuniarily liable means that the Accountable Officer must repay, out of his or her own money, any funds for which he or she is accountable that have been improperly disbursed. Certifying Officers are one of several types of Accountable Officers.