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418, the California Supreme Court articulated 'three guideposts' for courts reviewing punitive damages: ?(1) the degree of reprehensibility of the defendant's misconduct; (2) the disparity between the actual or potential harm suffered by the plaintiff and the punitive damages award; and (3) the difference between the ...
Punitive damages are only for when the at-fault party had malicious intent or was exhibiting highly reckless behavior. So, actual damages are awarded to the victim for their losses, whereas punitive damages are awarded to the victim as a way to punish the wrongdoer and deter dangerous conduct in the future.
Proving damages Proving compensatory damages typically requires presenting documentation such as receipts, testimony from the plaintiff or other witnesses about the impact of the tort on the plaintiff's life, and, in some cases, expert testimony.
Individuals can also be ordered to pay punitive damages that injure someone else due to negligent behavior. Examples of this would be drunk driving or distracted driving. In both cases, the defendant would have made a conscious decision to engage in behavior that could easily harm another person.
Generally the courts have held that the acts of a defendant for which the plaintiff is awarded punitive or exemplary damages must be characterized by being wanton, wilful, reckless, or malicious.