Suing for Punitive Damages in Redwood City

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Litigation Lawyers in Redwood City

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

There is a major exception to this rule, however. In limited situations, courts in Redwood City, California will order a defendant to pay the plaintiff damages which are not directly tied to any harm sustained by the plaintiff. Rather, these damages, which are known as "punitive damages", are meant to punish the wrongdoer, and serve as a deterrent.

It's essential to note that courts in Redwood City, California prefer not to grant punitive damages. This is because the civil justice system is designed mainly to compensate the victims of wrongdoing. Nonetheless, there are some cases where the defendant's conduct was so immoral and evil that civil courts have an interest in making them pay further damages, going above and beyond what's needed to compensate the victim, in order to serve as a deterrent.

Conduct that can give rise to punitive damages in Redwood City, California

Generally personal injury cases in Redwood City, California involve injuries that the defendant did not intend to cause, but was still at fault in causing them (through negligence, for instance). In Redwood City, California, this is not enough to justify the award of punitive damages.

Punitive Damages in Redwood City, California are only awarded in cases where the actions of the plaintiff was intentional and highly immoral, or extremely reckless. In Redwood City, California, 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.

You should be cognizant of the fact that there are some pretty severe limits on punitive damages in Redwood City, California. The U.S. Supreme Court has found that there are constitutional limits on punitive damage awards. Punitive damages can't be too disproportionate to the actual damages that the plaintiff has suffered. Appeals courts have found that excessive punitive damage awards violate the defendant's right to due process, by depriving them of massive amounts of property.

In general, punitive damages in Redwood City, California cannot be more than 10 times larger than the actual damages sustained by the plaintiff. Nonetheless, this is not an absolute rule, and appeals courts in California have upheld much larger awards, and found much smaller awards to be invalid. It's decided on a case-by-case basis.

How Can a Redwood City, California Attorney Help?

In Redwood City, California, 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 are immersed in a case in Redwood City, California that you believe might entitle you to punitive damages, a lot of money could be at stake. Therefore, if you want to pursue your legal remedies, you should see a Redwood City, California civil litigation attorney as soon as possible.

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Life in Redwood City

Redwood City, California is a city in San Mateo County, on the San Francisco Peninsula. It has a population of about 77,000 people, and is the county seat of San Mateo County.

Redwood City, California is one of the major hubs of employment in the South Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, particularly in the high-tech sectors. Technology companies like Oracle and Electronic Arts are headquartered in Redwood City, and they provide a major source of employment, in various fields. Both of these companies employ a large number of white-collar professionals, probably including several Redwood City, California lawyers.

Other major employers in Redwood City, California are the government of San Mateo County, as well as several major players in the healthcare industry, such as Kaiser Permanente.

If you live in Redwood City, California and are in need of a lawyer, you're in luck. A significant number of attorneys in Redwood City are set up to handle the legal issues that often arise for ordinary consumers.

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