Suing for Punitive Damages in Honolulu

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Litigation Lawyers in Honolulu

In Honolulu, Hawaii, the civil litigation system is mainly concerned with compensating the victims of wrongdoing, rather than punishing the wrongdoers, or casting moral blame upon them.

Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. In Honolulu, Hawaii, courts will, in fairly rare cases, require defendants to pay plaintiffs sums of money which aren't calculated by the actual harm and costs the plaintiff has incurred. Instead, these "punitive damages," as they are called, are meant to punish and deter wrongdoing.

In Honolulu, Hawaii, punitive damages are not awarded in many cases. This is because the civil litigation system highly disfavors giving money to plaintiffs in amounts disproportionate to the injuries they have suffered. Nonetheless, in some cases, the conduct of the defendant is so reprehensible, that simply punishing the defendant is a worthy goal, and this interest outweighs the preference against giving civil plaintiffs financial windfalls.

Conduct that can give rise to punitive damages in Honolulu, Hawaii

The vast majority of personal injury lawsuits in Honolulu, Hawaii involve situations in which the defendant did not intend to harm the plaintiff, but did so through carelessness. This is not enough to award punitive damages in Honolulu, Hawaii.

In Honolulu, Hawaii, punitive damages are not awarded in most cases. They are typically only awarded when the defendant's conduct was so reckless or deplorable that punishment of the defendant is warranted. Acts such as battery, fraud, and defamation (in some cases) are usually considered sufficient in Honolulu, Hawaii to justify punitive damages. In deciding whether to award punitive damages, and how much to award, the two most important factors the court looks at will be the level of immorality of the act, as well as the actual harm that the plaintiff suffered as a result of the defendant's conduct.

Nonetheless, in Honolulu, Hawaii, the law places limits on punitive damages. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled numerous times that punitive damages cannot be grossly disproportionate to the evil nature of the conduct, and the injuries that the defendant suffered. If they are disproportionate, punitive damages might be considered a deprivation of the defendant's right to due process of law.

A good rule of thumb for calculating the upper limit of punitive damages in Honolulu, Hawaii is that punitive damages can be no larger than compensatory damages times ten. This rule is not absolute, of course. Courts in Hawaii have a good deal of discretion in awarding punitive damages, and will decide them based on the facts of each case. Because of this, punitive damage awards larger than 10 times compensatory damages are occasionally upheld, while much smaller awards have been overturned, because they were deemed excessive in a certain case.

How Can a Honolulu, Hawaii Attorney Help?

In Honolulu, Hawaii, there are a large variety of situations in which punitive damages are appropriate, because the decision to grant punitive damages is largely up to the discretion of the jury.

If you have been injured in Honolulu, Hawaii and you think punitive damages might be justified, a large amount of money might be at stake. For that reason, you should not delay to consult a civil litigation attorney in Honolulu, Hawaii.

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Life in Honolulu

Honolulu means "place of shelter" and serves as just that for thousands of tourists each year. Nearly 375,000 Hawaiians call Honolulu home. That large population makes the city the most populous in the entire State of Hawaii. As the largest city in one of the U.S.'s most popular vacation states, there are diplomatic facilities of Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Australia, and the Marshall Islands among others. Honolulu is the Capital of the State of Hawaii. Consequently, Honolulu is home to many of the government facilities including the City of Honolulu and Honolulu County as well as Federal instillations like the Federal Detention Center, Honolulu. The prison is a temporary holding place for no more than 1,000 inmates awaiting trial and is located just across from the Honolulu International Airport.

Downtown Honolulu is home to Hawaii's tallest building, the First Hawaiian Center, as well as the Hawaii Pacific University campus. The Honolulu Arts District and Waikiki are the most popular attractions among tourists. The arts district rests on the eastern edge of Honolulu's Chinatown. The Arts District is home to lots of cultural institutions like the Hawaii Theatre, galleries, and venues for performing arts and music. Waikiki is one of the most popular tourist districts and home to the Ala Moana Center which is the worlds largest open air shopping center. The district also has a number of other shops and eateries that cater to tourists and locals alike.

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