compensatory damages
5
6.3
- noun
- /ˌkɒmpənˈseɪtəri ˈdæmɪdʒɪz/
- Specialized
:
daños compensatorios
- In a landmark case, the judge ruled that the plaintiffs were entitled to compensatory damages for the harm caused by the defective product.
- compensatory damages award
- punitive and compensatory damages
- compensatory damages million
Examples
-
After a lengthy trial, the jury awarded the victims compensatory damages for their medical expenses and lost wages.
-
A regular classroom teacher was held personally liable for $10,000 in compensatory damages.
Academic text (1999) -
And those competitors can receive only compensatory damages.
Academic text (2011) -
The overall mean award for compensatory damages was $130,674.42.
Academic text (2002) -
Even if the injured consumer decided to wait two years to sue for a larger sum, he would only be seeking $24 in compensatory damages.
Academic text (2017) -
A Utah jury hearing the Campbells' claim against State Farm awarded them $2.5 million in compensatory damages (mostly for emotional distress).
Academic text (2004) -
The justices declined to specify a ratio of punitive to compensatory damages beyond which a damage award would clearly be unconstitutional.
Academic text (1997) -
Wolfe's suit seeks economic damages up to $5,000 and compensatory damages for inconvenience and mental anguish.
Blog text (6) -
The civil component of this statute allows targets of cybercrime to obtain compensatory damages, injunctive relief, and equitable remedies.
Academic text (2003) -
The court ordered the company to pay compensatory damages to its former employee for wrongful termination.
Synonyms
214
3.6
Money given to pay someone for work and to make up for loss or injury
8
7.7
Money given to make up for loss, harm, or effort
3
5.7
Money paid to someone for losses they can prove, like medical bills or lost wages
2
8.8
Money that a person receives for loss, damage, or injury
1
8.0
Money paid to make up for loss, damage or injury
1
3.9
An amount of money paid to someone for loss or injury
How Much
Surface Forms
Morphology
Both constituents transparently contribute to the meaning: 'compensatory' means intended to compensate and 'damages' denotes financial compensation for loss, so together they denote compensation awarded for a loss or injury. Although the phrase is legal-register, its meaning is directly compositional and would be inferable by a B1 learner who knows the two words.
Etymology
Compensatory damages comes from the idea that compensatory money pays for damages to bring someone back to where they were before. Imagine a broken window being fixed: the money pays for the harm so the person is 'made whole', which is why it means money awarded for actual loss or injury.