What are the different forms of damages in civil law?

In Virginia civil law, there are several types of damages that can be sought by a plaintiff. The most common types of damages are compensatory and punitive damages. Compensatory damages are intended to make up for the plaintiff’s financial or emotional losses due to the defendant’s actions, such as lost wages or medical costs. Punitive damages are awarded in addition to compensatory damages and are intended to punish the defendant for their wrongdoing. Other types of damages include nominal damages, which are small sums of money awarded to the plaintiff when their rights were violated, but no financial losses occurred; and liquidated damages, which are damages that are pre-agreed upon beforehand in certain circumstances. Special damages are awarded when the plaintiff can prove that the defendant’s actions caused specific monetary losses. These damages are intended to reimburse the plaintiff for any out-of-pocket expenses due to the defendant’s actions, such as medical bills and repair costs. Lastly, there are hedonic damages, which are awarded to the plaintiff for pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and emotional distress due to the defendant’s actions. These are usually the most difficult to prove and it is up to the court to determine the amount of hedonic damages.

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