Which term refers to damages awarded to a plaintiff to punish the defendant?

The term that refers to damages awarded to a plaintiff specifically to punish the defendant is punitive damages. These damages go beyond merely compensating the victim for their losses and instead serve as a form of punishment for the defendant’s behavior, especially when that behavior is found to be particularly harmful, malicious, or egregious.

Punitive damages are intended to deter similar conduct in the future, both by the defendant and others who might consider engaging in similar actions. This distinguishes them from compensatory damages, which aim to reimburse the plaintiff for their actual losses, and restitution or nominal damages, which address different aspects of legal verdicts. In cases where the court wants to send a message that wrongful actions will not be tolerated, punitive damages play an essential role.