Suing for Punitive Damages in Cherry Hill

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Litigation Lawyers in Cherry Hill

The civil litigation system in Cherry Hill, New Jersey is designed to provide compensation for individuals who are injured because of the unlawful conduct of others. It is not much concerned with punishing or deterring wrongdoers.

However, this general principle has a major exception. In rare cases, a Cherry Hill, New Jersey judge or jury can award damages to the plaintiff that are not calculated by the actual losses suffered. Instead, they serve the purpose of punishing the defendant, and deterring others from wrongdoing. These are called "punitive damages."

You should be aware that courts in Cherry Hill, New Jersey are not particularly fond of granting punitive damages, because they view it as a financial windfall that generally runs counter to civil litigation's primary purpose of compensating victims of wrongdoing for the harm they've suffered. However, if the conduct of the defendant was completely reprehensible and the harm caused was deliberate, a court might impose damages to punish the defendant, known as "punitive damages."

Conduct that can give rise to punitive damages in Cherry Hill, New Jersey

Personal injury litigation doesn't normally carry with it the possibility of punitive damages in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, because generally personal injury cases stem from harm that was caused accidentally, not deliberately. Accidental harm is not enough to warrant an award of punitive damages in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Punitive Damages in Cherry Hill, New Jersey are only awarded in cases where the actions of the plaintiff was intentional and highly immoral, or extremely reckless. In Cherry Hill, New Jersey, torts such as fraud, gross negligence, and theft are sufficient to award punitive damages. Courts consider numerous factors when deciding whether or not punitive damages are warranted. Courts will look at the nature of the act, as well as the defendant's intent in performing the act. This will be weighed, on a sliding scale, against the actual harm that the defendant's conduct caused to the plaintiff.

It's necessary to know that punitive damages in Cherry Hill, New Jersey are subject to limits. The Supreme Court of the United States has held, more than once, that punitive damages can't be grossly disproportionate to the actual harm suffered by the plaintiff. Grossly excessive punitive damage awards are unconstitutional, the Supreme Court has held, because they amount to the government taking property from the defendant without due process of law.

In Cherry Hill, New Jersey, punitive damage awards are usually (but not always) capped at 10 times the amount awarded in compensatory damages. Remember, however, that this is just a general rule of thumb, and is not completely rigid. In New Jersey, appeals courts have a good deal of discretion in deciding if a punitive damage award is valid or invalid. Much larger awards have been upheld, and smaller awards have been overturned. The validity of a particular punitive damage award will depend heavily on the facts of each case.

How Can a Cherry Hill, New Jersey Attorney Help?

In Cherry Hill, New Jersey, there are a large number of cases in which punitive damages are appropriate, because the decision to grant punitive damages is largely up to the discretion of the jury.

If you are immersed in a case in Cherry Hill, New Jersey where punitive damages are a possibility, a very large amount of money could be at stake, whether you are the plaintiff or defendant. You should not hesitate to speak with a civil litigation attorney in Cherry Hill, New Jersey

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Life in Cherry Hill

Cherry Hill is located in New Jersey's Camden County. It is the thirteenth largest city in the state and is home to around 70,000 people. Cherry Hill is included in the Delaware Valley coastal plain. The city is about five miles outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In fact, some call Cherry Hill the "edge city" of Philadelphia.

The top employers are Subaru of America, Pinnacle Foods, and Commerce Bancorp. A popular site for residents and visitors is Cherry Hill Mall. This mall is distinguished from others because it was the first enclosed shopping mall in the eastern United States. It opened in October 1961.

In 2006, Money Magazine named the city amongst the "Best Places to Live." Money Magazine also ranked it the eighth safest city to live in. Philadelphia Magazine, in 2006, named Cherry Hill amongst the "Best Places to Live" as well.

Many attorneys call Cherry Hill home. Along with safety, residents can also remain rest assured because any and every of their legal inquiries can be adequately handled by the legal force in Cherry Hill.

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