Suing for Punitive Damages in Thousand Oaks

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Litigation Lawyers in Thousand Oaks

In Thousand Oaks, California, the civil litigation system is primarily 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 circumstances, courts in Thousand Oaks, California will order a defendant to pay the plaintiff damages which are not directly tied to any harm suffered 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 critical to note that courts in Thousand Oaks, California prefer not to grant punitive damages. This is because the civil justice system is designed primarily to compensate the victims of wrongdoing. However, there are some cases where the defendant's conduct was so immoral and evil that civil courts have an interest in making them pay additional 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 Thousand Oaks, California

Mostly personal injury cases in Thousand Oaks, California do not involve punitive damages, because the defendant did not intend to cause harm, or act with some other form of malice. Instead, most of these cases involve situations where the defendant acted carelessly, but did not actually intend to cause harm. This is enough to award compensatory damages, but it is far from sufficient to award punitive damages in Thousand Oaks, California.

In Thousand Oaks, California, 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 Thousand Oaks, California 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 critical to note that in Thousand Oaks, California, punitive damages are not unlimited. The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that punitive damages cannot be hugely disproportionate to the amount awarded to compensate the plaintiff for the actual injuries they suffered. If the punitive damages are extremely excessive, an appeals court might rule that they amount to a deprivation of property without due process of law, or a de facto criminal punishment, without affording the defendant the protections available in criminal cases.

In Thousand Oaks, California, 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 general rule of thumb, and is not completely rigid. In California, 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 Thousand Oaks, California Attorney Help?

In Thousand Oaks, California, there are an essentially unlimited number of situtations in which punitive damages can be awarded.

If you live in Thousand Oaks, California and are involved in a case that you believe carries the possibility of a punitive damage award, you may be entitled to a large amount of money from the person or company that injured you. To know for sure, you should speak with a civil litigation attorney in Thousand Oaks, California.

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Life in Thousand Oaks

Thousand Oaks, California is a master-planned city located in Ventura California. It is named after the abundance of oak trees in the city. Thousand Oaks contains about 2,000 single family residences, an industrial park, a regional shopping center, and various neighborhood retail centers.

The local economy of Thousand Oaks consists of numerous businesses, namely biotechnology, electronics and telecommunications, and cosmetics. Major corporations in Thousand Oaks include Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Amgen, Inc., Jafra Cosmetics, and a Verizon Regional Office. These companies, along with many other employers, attract a large number of residents and commuters to the city.

Popular destinations in Thousand Oaks, California include: the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Center, Wildwood Regional Park, and The Oaks Shopping Center. Many national store chains establish new locations in Thousand Oaks when expanding to the West Coast, as the city is often at the forefront of fashion and retail trends. Due to its location in the northwest region of the Greater Los Angeles Area, many famous actors, singers, and celebrity superstars chose to live in Thousand Oaks. These have included Colbie Caillat, Heather Locklear, Sophia Lauren, and Dean Martin.

In order to meet the needs of the community, lawyers in Thousand Oaks, California offer services in many different areas of law. Thousand Oaks lawyers handle legal matters that are sometimes unique to the region. Legal advice is available for those with questions about the laws in Thousand Oaks.

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