punitive damages
Plural
punitive damages
1
an extra financial compensation awarded in a lawsuit to punish the defendant for bad behavior and deter future wrongdoing
- In the product liability case, the court awarded punitive damages to deter the company from manufacturing unsafe products.
- The jury decided to grant punitive damages to the plaintiff after finding evidence of intentional misconduct by the defendant.
- The environmental lawsuit resulted in punitive damages against the company for knowingly polluting the water supply.
- The court imposed punitive damages on the employer who engaged in discriminatory practices to discourage workplace discrimination.
- The class-action lawsuit sought punitive damages against the pharmaceutical company for unethical marketing practices.
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