Which term describes damages awarded to punish wrongful conduct rather than to compensate the victim?

• A. compensatory
• B. punitive
• C. nominal
• D. treble

Answer: (B)

Punitive damages are awarded to punish wrongful conduct rather than to compensate the victim. They aim to deter the bad behavior and others from similar acts, going beyond restoring the plaintiff’s actual losses. This distinguishes them from compensatory damages, which cover tangible losses like medical bills and lost wages; nominal damages, which are a token amount when a legal wrong occurred but there’s little or no actual harm; and treble damages, which are a statutory multiplier in some cases rather than a general principle of punishment.