Punitive damages

In Anglo-American law is meant by punitive damages compensation, which is awarded to a plaintiff in the civil litigation on the actual damages suffered beyond. In Germany, the concept of punitive damages has advocated naturalized; in Anglo-Saxon law It is not called exemplary damages.

The purpose is

Punitive damages are generally awarded only for exceptional grossly negligent, willful conduct, but not for mere negligence.

In the German and Austrian law, there is no comparable institution.

Examples

• In Stella Liebeck trial against McDonald's, the applicant received U.S. $ 160,000 for pain and suffering and 480,000 U.S. dollars in punitive damages awarded (where ultimately an unpublished comparison of the actual amount paid ruled ) because they had been scalded in to hot coffee.