What are the different forms of damages in civil law?

In the District of Columbia, civil law cases can involve awarding damages to the plaintiff. This means that when a person is wronged, the court can decide that the person who wronged them must pay money as recompense. There are different types of damages that can be awarded in civil cases. The most common type of damages is known as compensatory damages. These are awarded to make up for the harm suffered by the plaintiff, for example, to cover the cost of medical bills or lost wages due to illness or injury. Compensatory damages are intended to put the plaintiff in the same condition they would have been in if the wrong had not been committed. Another form of damages is known as punitive damages. These are awarded when the defendant deliberately caused harm, or acted in such a way as to deserve punishment. Punitive damages are generally much higher than compensatory damages, and are meant to prevent the defendant from behaving in a similar way in the future. Lastly, there are nominal damages. These are damages that are awarded when the wrong committed does not warrant any actual compensation. Nominal damages are usually a relatively small amount of money and do not serve any particular purpose. Overall, there are three types of damages that can be awarded in civil law cases in the District of Columbia. Compensatory damages are awarded to make up for the harm suffered, punitive damages are awarded when the defendant deserves punishment, and nominal damages are typically awarded when no actual compensation is needed.

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What are the different forms of damages in civil law?

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