Punitive Damages Definition

In a civil lawsuit, damages that might be awarded when the defendant's conduct was particularly outrageous or malicious. In contrast with compensatory damages—which are intended to make the plaintiff as whole as possible in light of the harm (economic and otherwise) that resulted from the defendant's wrongdoing—punitive damages are meant to:

  • punish the defendant, and
  • deter others from acting in a similar way.

While punitive damages are uncommon in most personal injury cases, they're sometimes awarded in product liability lawsuits when a manufacturer failed to warn consumers of risks of serious injury or illness posed by their products.