Which of the following describes damages awarded to punish the defendant beyond compensation?

• A. Compensatory damages
• B. Administrative law
• C. Statutory law
• D. Punitive damages

Answer: (D)

Punitive damages are intended to punish the defendant for particularly wrongful conduct and to deter others from similar actions. They go beyond reimbursing the plaintiff’s actual losses, which are covered by compensatory damages like medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Punitive damages are typically reserved for cases involving malice, oppression, fraud, or conscious disregard for others’ rights, not for simply making the plaintiff whole. Administrative law and statutory law describe categories of law, not types of damages.