What are punitive damages?

Sometimes civil courts decide that the compensatory damages awarded to a plaintiff are not enough to adequately penalize the defendant. These are generally cases that involve unusually severe negligence or even malice. In these cases, courts may decide to award punitive damages in addition to the plaintiff’s compensatory damages. In addition to penalizing the defendant, punitive damages are meant to discourage other parties from committing similar offenses in the future.

If you have been harmed by a careless individual or business, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your losses. To learn more, contact the Queens personal injury lawyers of Parker Waichman Alonso, LLP at 1-888-244-2273.