What are punitive damages intended to do?

Punitive damages serve a specific purpose that goes beyond mere compensation for losses suffered by the victim. Their primary intention is to punish the defendant for particularly egregious or malicious conduct and to deter similar behavior in the future, both by the defendant and others. This is grounded in the principle that the justice system should not only compensate victims but also discourage wrongful behavior that society deems unacceptable.

In contrast to compensatory damages, which are designed to make the victim whole by covering their actual losses—such as medical expenses or lost wages—punitive damages are an additional financial penalty intended to emphasize the severity of the defendant's actions. They are not aimed at rewarding the plaintiff financially in a general sense or covering legal fees. Instead, they serve a societal function by reinforcing standards of conduct and upholding accountability in the face of particularly harmful actions.

Thus, the essence of punitive damages lies in their dual role of punishment and deterrence, making them an important tool in the realm of civil remedies when the defendant's conduct warrants such a response.