Summarize what the paragraphs speak about in an explanation?

Compensation for Damages

Tort cases involve civil wrong doings that can include such events as negligence, product liability, defamation, or emotional distress. A judge or jury will generally seek to remedy the wrong doing, if the evidence favors the plaintiff, by awarding the injured party monetary damages. These are two basic types of awards in personal injury claims, and in extreme cases, may be awarded in combination with one another.

Compensatory Damages

Compensatory damages are the main reason a plaintiff pursues a lawsuit. These are the damages paid out by a defendant that attempts to compensate, or "make whole" from the damage experienced by the plaintiff. For example, if a motorist was injured by another individual, they may likely be awarded monetary damages to cover hospital visits, rehabilitation, medication, damaged property, or lost wages. These payouts are known as economic damages, and could be considerable if the injury was severe enough to incapacitate an individual that relied on mobility to perform their job. As noted from the example, these damages can be easily calculated and submitted into court by way of hospital bills, repair quotes, and evidence of past wages. A dollar figure would be set and awarded to the plaintiff to "compensate" any out of pocket expense. Beyond any tangible compensation amounts, plaintiffs may also seek noneconomic damages. This generally includes pain or suffering, or any nontangible damage that can't be easily submitted into court records.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages may be awarded on top of compensatory damages in order to further punish a defendant for malevolent intent. Although the plaintiff will receive any awarded punitive damages, they are specifically designed to act as a penalty for the defendant, or others, to discourage future malicious behavior. Elderly abuse from retirement home staff could easily fall into this category. To dissuade such an evil act, and highlight these actions among other elderly care service providers, juries may award a large sum of money in punitive damages to set an example.

References

Scott EJ. (2002). Punitive damages in lawsuits against nursing homes.Journal of Legal Medicine,23(1), 115-129. https://doi-org.waylandbu.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/01947640231727669