Torts
Damages
Money awarded to compensate for loss, punish misconduct, or otherwise remedy a legal wrong.
Plain-English definition
Damages are the money remedy in civil cases. They can include economic losses, noneconomic harm, statutory damages, nominal damages, punitive damages, or restitutionary measures depending on the claim. Proof of damages is often separate from proof of liability.
How it works
Damages are proved through documents, testimony, experts, medical records, financial records, market data, and statutory formulas. Some damages must be pleaded with particularity.
Why it matters
A case can win on liability and still be worth little if damages are unproven, speculative, capped, or unrecoverable under the governing law.
Related terms
More in Torts
Comparative Negligence
A fault-allocation rule reducing or sometimes barring recovery based on the plaintiff’s share of responsibility.
Negligence
A civil wrong based on failing to use reasonable care, causing legally recognized harm to another person.
Proximate Cause
The legal limit on causation, asking whether the harm is closely enough connected to the defendant’s conduct to justify liability.
Punitive Damages
Money damages awarded to punish the defendant and deter similar conduct, beyond the plaintiff's actual losses.
Not legal advice. Definitions are for general reference. Consult an attorney before relying on any term in a real case.