What is the difference between compensatory and punitive damages?

Compensatory damages are a form of legal relief that is meant to restore the plaintiff to the same financial position they were in before the incident occurred. This type of damages can include medical bills, lost wages, and other losses suffered due to the accident. Punitive damages, on the other hand, are a type of legal relief meant to punish the defendant for their negligent or intentional behavior. Punitive damages are not meant to compensate the plaintiff for any losses, but instead to impose a financial penalty on the defendant for their misconduct. In Delaware, an injured person is eligible to pursue both punitive and compensatory damages. Punitive damages are only available, however, when the conduct of the defendant is found to be especially egregious or malicious. In these cases, the damages can be much higher than compensatory damages, and are intended to send a strong message to the defendant to discourage similar acts in the future. Compensatory damages are intended to compensate an injured person for their losses and put them back in the same financial position they were in before the accident happened. Punitive damages, on the other hand, are meant to punish the defendant for their misconduct and make an example out of them. In Delaware, a person can pursue both types of damages, but punitive damages are only available when the misconduct of the defendant was particularly egregious.

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What is the difference between compensatory and punitive damages?

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