What the difference between compensatory and punitive damages?

Asked by: Mr. Nicolas Dicki  |  Last update: February 19, 2022
Score: 4.7/5 (74 votes)

Compensatory damages are given to the injured victim to help pay for medical expenses and other damages created, while punitive damages are meant to penalize the at-fault party.

Are compensatory damages and punitive damages the same?

Compensatory damages, like the name suggests, are intended to compensate the injured party for loss or injury. Punitive damages are awarded to punish a wrongdoer.

What are the 3 types of compensatory damages?

The three types of damages are economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages.

Can you receive both compensatory and punitive damages?

Judges or juries can award punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages in some lawsuits. California Civil Code 3294 allows juries to award them – but the victim in the case has to prove that the defendant's conduct amounted to malice, oppression or fraud, such as when the case involves intentional harm or ...

What is an example of a punitive damage?

Punitive damages are also called “exemplary damages,” which are damages assessed in the legal process to punish a defendant for negligence. ... Individuals can also be ordered to pay punitive damages that injure someone else due to negligent behavior. Examples of this would be drunk driving or distracted driving.

What is the difference between compensatory and punitive damages?

20 related questions found

How are compensatory damages calculated?

Add up the total replacement cost for your items. Add the other costs and fees that you have incurred in prosecuting the lawsuit, including your attorney fees, postage and filing fees. You can also include other losses for which you are entitled to compensation, such as loss of work or loss of lifestyle.

What is the difference between compensatory and punitive damages quizlet?

What is the difference between compensatory and punitive damages? Compensatory damages are intended to compensate the injured for the loss. When a tort is intentional, punitive damages may also be awarded to punish the person who committed the tort.

Are lost wages punitive damages?

In most cases, this involves a situation where there was intentional harm or extreme recklessness. Punitive damages are different from compensatory damages that normally include medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, etc. Punitive damage awards involves a defendant's intentional harm or extreme recklessness.

Are legal fees compensatory damages?

Compensatory damages for breach of contract do not include attorney fees. Attorney fees incurred to prosecute a motion to enforce a settlement agreement constitute litigation expenses rather than damages.

Are legal expenses compensatory damages?

Legal Fees – These include court costs, attorney fees, costs for travel, and any missed work. Non-economic compensatory damages refer to intangible losses suffered by a plaintiff. ... These are damages that are awarded to a plaintiff which are in addition to compensatory damages.

How do you ask for compensatory damages?

If you want to seek compensatory damages, pull together all the documents you have that relate to any expenses you incurred as a result of the injury or property loss you sustained. Compensatory damages aren't limited solely to costs to replace or repair damaged property or doctor's bills for your injury.

What are compensatory damages also known as?

Also known as actual damages. The amount of money awarded to a party in a civil action to compensate for an injury or loss caused by another party's unlawful conduct. The purpose of compensatory damages is to make the claimant "whole," not to punish the wrongdoer.

What is compensatory relief?

Compensatory Relief

This is the type of relief with which most people are familiar. This is suing someone in an effort to obtain monetary compensation for damage or injuries that person or entity caused the plaintiff. Often, attorneys and courts will refer to the money sought as compensation as “damages.”

What are types of damages?

Types of Damages
  • 1] Ordinary damages. On the breach of a contract, the suffering party may incur some damages arising naturally, in the usual course of events. ...
  • 2] Special Damages. ...
  • 3] Vindictive or Exemplary Damages. ...
  • 4] Nominal Damages. ...
  • 5] Damages for Deterioration caused by Delay. ...
  • 6] Pre-fixed damages.

What is the difference between compensatory and aggravated damages?

The same conduct may give rise to aggravated and/or punitive damages. Aggravated damages are compensatory while punitive damages are intended to be punishment for wrongdoing. Aggravated damages require proof of injury while punitive damages do not.

Are emotional distress damages compensatory?

Emotional distress damages are a subset of what are commonly called “compensatory damages.”

Which injuries are eligible for compensatory damages?

General Compensatory Damages
  • Disfigurement.
  • Mental anguish.
  • Future lost wages.
  • Future medical expenses.
  • Loss of consortium.
  • Long-term physical pain and suffering.
  • Loss of opportunity.
  • Loss of enjoyment of life.

What is the difference between punitive damages and pain and suffering?

Damages for pain and suffering are a type of compensatory damages. Punitive damages are damages which are assessed against the defendant for egregious misconduct and are intended to punish the defendant and to deter others from similar misconduct.

What are three types of damages recoverable in a lawsuit?

There are three types of damage that form the foundation of most civil lawsuits: compensatory, nominal, and punitive.

What is a compensatory case?

In California, compensatory damages are defined as money that a wrongdoer pays in order to compensate a victim for losses in a personal injury case. They contrast with punitive damages, which are intended to punish the defendant and discourage others from similar behavior.

What is the purpose of punitive damages?

Overview. 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 are the two types of compensatory damages quizlet?

What are compensatory damages and its two types? Compensatory damages are paid to compensate the plaintiff for loss, injury or harm suffered. Compensatory damages in tort are referred to as reliance damages. Compensatory damages in contract are referred to as expectation damages.

What is the commonality of compensatory punitive and nominal damages?

The law recognizes three major categories of damages: COMPENSATORY DAMAGES, which are intended to restore what a plaintiff has lost as a result of a defendant's wrongful conduct; nominal damages, which consist of a small sum awarded to a plaintiff who has suffered no substantial loss or injury but has nevertheless ...

What is the purpose of compensatory damages quizlet?

the purpose of compensatory damages is to place the injured party in a position as good as the one he would have been in had the other party performed under the contract.

What is punitive damages quizlet?

What are punitive damages? Damages awarded that are intended to punish the defendant for conduct that is extreme and outrageous.