punitive damages
Court-ordered punishment
Punitive damages are money awarded in a lawsuit beyond compensation for actual harm, intended to punish the defendant for egregious conduct and deter similar behavior.
Unlike compensatory damages, which reimburse losses, punitive damages exist to make an example: The jury awarded $2 million in compensatory damages and $50 million in punitive damages.
Courts typically require proof of malice, fraud, or reckless disregard.
Actionable civil harm
- plaintiffCivil case initiator
- defendantParty facing charges
- liabilityLegal or financial obligation
- negligenceFailure to exercise care
jury · verdict · litigation · trial · courtroom · judge · attorney · lawsuit
Intent to cause harm
- gross negligenceSevere breach of duty
- recklessnessCareless disregard for danger
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- willfulIntentionally unyielding
bad faith · oppression · wanton · egregious · intentional · moral turpitude · deceit · culpability
Honor given for merit
- indemnityProtection against financial loss
- restitutionRestoring what was lost
- redressCompensation for injury
- reparationCompensation for injury done
monetary relief · multiplier · windfall · pain and suffering · economic loss
Retaliation for wrongs
- reprisalPunitive action in return
- penaltyPunishment for wrongdoing
- sanctionApproval or punitive measure
- condemnationSevere disapproval expressed formally
rebuke · censure · accountability · just deserts · moral judgment · wrongdoer · blameworthy
Convincing someone not to
- preventiveMeant to stop trouble
- cautionaryServing as warning
- discouragementLoss of confidence
- warningAlert about danger
corporate accountability · behavior modification · compliance · public policy · chilling effect · disincentive · reform · systemic change
Grounded supertanker, 1989
- Philip MorrisTobacco corporation, cigarettes
- due processGuaranteed judicial fairness
- ratioComparative numerical relation
- excessivenessBeing beyond reasonable limits
tort
Actionable civil harm
negligence · jury · verdict · litigation · trial · courtroom · judge · attorney · lawsuit · settlement
malice
Intent to cause harm
- gross negligenceSevere breach of duty
- recklessnessCareless disregard for danger
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
willful · bad faith · oppression · wanton · egregious · intentional · moral turpitude · deceit · culpability · wrongdoing
award
Honor given for merit
- indemnityProtection against financial loss
- restitutionRestoring what was lost
- redressCompensation for injury
reparation · monetary relief · multiplier · windfall · pain and suffering · economic loss
payback
Retaliation for wrongs
- reprisalPunitive action in return
- penaltyPunishment for wrongdoing
- sanctionApproval or punitive measure
condemnation · rebuke · censure · accountability · just deserts · moral judgment · wrongdoer · blameworthy
dissuasion
Convincing someone not to
- preventiveMeant to stop trouble
- cautionaryServing as warning
- discouragementLoss of confidence
warning · corporate accountability · behavior modification · compliance · public policy · chilling effect · disincentive · reform · systemic change · industry standards
Exxon Valdez
Grounded supertanker, 1989
- Philip MorrisTobacco corporation, cigarettes
- due processGuaranteed judicial fairness
- ratioComparative numerical relation
- penaltiespenalty, fine, civil penalty, criminal penalty, infractions
- litigationpleadings, lawsuit, plaintiff, complaint, lawsuits
- civil trialsplaintiff, lawsuit, jury trial, bench trial, jury
- discrimination lawsuitsemployment discrimination, age discrimination, gender discrimination, disability discrimination, sexual harassment
- injury claimspersonal injury, injury claim, injury settlement, insurance claim, bodily harm
- legal penaltiesarrest, jail, jail time, fine, prison
punitive damagesrestitution
Restoring what was lost
indemnification · economic damages · reimbursement · reparations · lost wages
punitive damagesconsent decree
Court-approved agreement without liability admission
restraining order · dismissal · settlement · acquittal · exoneration
damage, punish, punishment, damages, punished, punishing, punitive, punishes, punishable