Suing for Punitive Damages in Fairfield

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Litigation Lawyers in Fairfield

In Fairfield, Connecticut, 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 cases, courts in Fairfield, Connecticut 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.

You should be cognizant that courts in Fairfield, Connecticut 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 Fairfield, Connecticut

Personal injury litigation doesn't typically carry with it the possibility of punitive damages in Fairfield, Connecticut, because typically 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 Fairfield, Connecticut.

In Fairfield, Connecticut, punitive damages are only awarded in extreme cases. 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 Fairfield, Connecticut will consider many different factors. Typically, 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 know that punitive damages in Fairfield, Connecticut 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.

Punitive damages in Fairfield, Connecticut typically cannot surpass 10 times the amount of actual damages suffered by the plaintiff. Nonetheless, this is just a guideline, and not a strict rule. Courts in Connecticut have found larger punitive damage awards to be perfectly valid, and smaller ones to be invalid. This will be strongly dependent on the facts of each case.

How Can a Fairfield, Connecticut Attorney Help?

In Fairfield, Connecticut, judges and juries have a good deal of leeway in deciding if they want to grant punitive damages, so there are a nearly-unlimited number of cases that can lead to a punitive damage award.

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

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Life in Fairfield

Fairfield, Connecticut is a city located in Fairfield County. It has a population of approximately 57,000 people. Fairfield has been ranked by Money Magazine as one of the top 10 places to live in the U.S. It was ranked by the same publication as the best place to live in the Northeast, owing to its high median household income, relatively low home prices, extremely low crime rates, and quality of schools, among many other factors. Fairfield was originally established in the 1630s by a breakaway Puritan sect from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. During the American Revolutionary War, Fairfield was the site of significant fighting, and was particularly hard-hit by the ruthless, scorched-earth tactics of some British commanders, with many residents having their homes and businesses burned. Modernly, Fairfield, Connecticut is home to a large number (for a city its size) of major multinational corporations, including General Electric. It shouldn't be a surprise, then, that Fairfield, Connecticut is home to quite a few competent attorneys, who have to be ready to serve an extremely diverse and sophisticated client base. It's very likely that, whatever Fairfield, Connecticut lawyer you choose, they'll be able to help you with your legal problem.

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