Damages

Damages are money or other court-ordered relief awarded to address a legal injury. They may compensate for loss, punish wrongdoing, or recognize a right that was violated.

Legal remedy: A court-ordered means of enforcing a right or addressing a legal wrong. Damages are one form of remedy available after a legal injury.
Expectation damages: Contract damages intended to give the injured party the value of the promised performance. They measure the benefit lost when a contract is not performed.
Punitive damages: Damages imposed to punish particularly wrongful conduct and deter similar behavior. Unlike compensation, their purpose is punishment and deterrence.
Economic damages: Damages for measurable financial losses, such as medical expenses, lost wages, or property repair. They cover losses that can be quantified from financial evidence.
Damage cap: A legal limit on the amount of damages recoverable in a specified class of cases. Caps can reduce awards even when proven losses exceed the statutory ceiling.
Cause of action: A set of facts and legal rules that gives someone the right to bring a lawsuit. A valid claim establishes the legal basis for seeking damages.
Reliance damages: Contract damages that reimburse expenses incurred in reliance on an agreement. They restore costs spent because the claimant trusted the agreement.
Exemplary damages: An alternative name for punitive damages in some legal systems and contexts. The label highlights their role as an example discouraging misconduct.
Non-economic damages: Damages for nonfinancial harms such as pain, emotional distress, or loss of companionship. They address serious injuries that lack a direct market price.
Collateral source rule: A rule that may prevent a defendant from reducing damages because the plaintiff received benefits from another source. It determines whether insurance or other payments offset an award.

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