Suing for Punitive Damages in Flagstaff

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Litigation Lawyers in Flagstaff

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

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

You should be cognizant that courts in Flagstaff, Arizona are not especially fond of authorizing 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 Flagstaff, Arizona

A majority of personal injury litigation actions in Flagstaff, Arizona do not involve the possibility of punitive damages, because they usually involve injuries where the defendant is at fault for the harm caused, but did not intend to do any harm. In Flagstaff, Arizona, accidental harm may be enough to award the plaintiff compensatory damages, but it is not enough for punitive damages.

In Flagstaff, Arizona, punitive damages are only awarded in extreme circumstances. Civil wrongs such as fraud, conversion (theft), battery, and other intentional, depraved acts are sufficient to award punitive damages. In deciding whether or not to award punitive damages, and how much money to award, courts in Flagstaff, Arizona will consider many different factors. Usually, they employ a sliding scale, weighing the nature of the conduct and the actual harm that the conduct caused. The more immoral the conduct, and/or the more harm caused, the more likely a court is to award punitive damages.

It's essential to know that punitive damages in Flagstaff, Arizona 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 sustained by the plaintiff. Grossly excessive punitive damage awards are unconstitutional, the Supreme Court has held, because they amount to the government acquiring property from the defendant without due process of law.

In Flagstaff, Arizona, punitive damage awards are typically (but not always) capped at 10 times the amount awarded in compensatory damages. Remember, however, that this is just a basic rule of thumb, and is not completely rigid. In Arizona, 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 specific punitive damage award will depend heavily on the facts of each case.

How Can a Flagstaff, Arizona Attorney Help?

Flagstaff, Arizona's courts have wide discretion in awarding punitive damages. Therefore, it is impossible to comprehensively discuss all the situations in which punitive damages can arise.

If you are involved in a case in Flagstaff, Arizona that you believe might entitle you to punitive damages, a lot of money could be at stake. So, if you want to pursue your legal remedies, you should see a Flagstaff, Arizona civil litigation attorney as soon as possible.

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Life in Flagstaff

With a different name, Flagstaff was named after a Ponderosa Pine flagpole made by a scouting party from Boston. This name was given on July 4, 1876 while celebrating the United States Centennial. Flagstaff, Arizona is home to approximately 65,870 people, and is located in northern Arizona.

Popular attractions include the Grand Canyon National Park, Walnut Canyon National Monument, Wupatki National Monument, Barringer Crater, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Powell. Obviously, Flagstaff is a nature-lover's heaven.

The economy is primarily based on lumber, railroad, and ranching. Many large corporations have locations in Flagstaff. Such corporations include Lowell Observatory, Nestle Purina PetCare, Walgreens, and W.L. Gore Associates. With so many corporations and industries, Flagstaff is home to many small law firms with excellent attorneys devoted to excellent legal service. If need be for a large law firm, Phoenix firms are available, with attorneys always willing to make the short trip to Flagstaff. Therefore, Flagstaff is a community that is well-served by the legal industry.

As a side note, Flagstaff is known to many because running scenes from the hit film Forrest Gump were shot there! Overall, Flagstaff is a wonderful area rich in culture and industry.

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