Personal injury law deals with injuries and property damage caused by negligent or unlawful actions. An individual may bring a personal injury claim after being hurt in a car crash, work accident, slip and fall, dog attack, or other injury-causing event. Wrongful death claims are usually brought by a close family member of someone killed in an accident caused by negligence or wrongdoing.
Money cannot make up for a serious injury or death. However, monetary damages may help cover the cost of medical treatment, vehicle repair or replacement, funeral and burial services, and other financial losses. Most of the time, damages are intended to compensate the victim or victim’s family for expenses. However, punitive damages are a separate category of damages that are awarded over and above compensatory damages.
The Purpose of Punitive Damages
Punitive damages do not compensate the victim for expenses like hospital bills or lost wages. Instead, punitive damages function as a financial penalty for wrongdoing and a deterrent for similar behavior in the future. Illinois law states that a court may award punitive damages if a defendant acted with “evil motive” or “reckless and outrageous indifference” to risk of harm with willful indifference to the safety of others.
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