Suing for Punitive Damages in Palm Beach

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Litigation Lawyers in Palm Beach

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

This basic principle is subject to an significant exception, however. There are cases where a judge in Palm Beach, Florida will order a defendant to pay the plaintiff a sum of money which is not calculated based on actual harm the plaintiff has suffered. These are called "punitive damages" and serve the purpose of punishing and deterring wrongdoing.

Courts in Palm Beach, Florida do not authorize punitive damages in most cases. The civil litigation system is geared against authorizing financial windfalls to civil plaintiffs. But, there are rare cases, where the defendant has done something to the plaintiff that is so morally reprehensible, that society's interest in punishing the defendant and deterring comparable misconduct outweighs the civil justice system's preference against punitive damages.

Conduct that can give rise to punitive damages in Palm Beach, Florida

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

In Palm Beach, Florida, punitive damages are not awarded in most cases. They are usually only awarded when the defendant's behavior was so reckless or deplorable that punishment of the defendant is warranted. Acts such as battery, fraud, and defamation (in some cases) are usually considered sufficient in Palm Beach, Florida to justify punitive damages. In deciding whether to award punitive damages, and how much to award, the two most important factors the court looks at will be the level of immorality of the act, as well as the actual harm that the plaintiff suffered as a result of the defendant's conduct.

It's important to note that in Palm Beach, Florida, 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.

Typically, in Palm Beach, Florida, punitive damage awards that exceed the actual damages (those awarded to directly compensate the plaintiff) by a factor of 10. This is not an absolute rule, nonetheless, and is applied on a case-by-case basis. Courts in Florida have found much smaller awards to be invalid, and upheld much larger awards.

How Can a Palm Beach, Florida Attorney Help?

In Palm Beach, Florida, 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 situations that can lead to a punitive damage award.

If you are immersed in a case in Palm Beach, Florida 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 Palm Beach, Florida civil litigation attorney as soon as possible.

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Life in Palm Beach

Palm Beach is a beautiful area located in Palm Beach County, Florida. It is surrounded by West Palm Beach and Lake Worth. It is a small city with a population around the mid 30,000s.

What is interesting is that the area started off as a resort founded by the oil mogul Henry Morrison Flagler. Later Edward R. Bradley bought this area and it was named Palm Beach.

Palm Beach today is a very beautiful area with a relatively affluent community. Some of the prominent industries include health care and tourism. Further, the area is filled with law firms that can handle any and every legal inquiry of residents and local corporations.

Some common tourist attractions include Four Arts Garden, Mar-A-Lago, the Flagler Museum, Pan's Garden, and some fine dining and shopping around Worth Avenue.

Some famous people who have called Palm Beach home include Mark Patton, James Patteron, Ivana Trump, Jimmy Buffett, Michael Jackson, and John Lennon.

All in all, Palm Beach is a small community that offers residents a wonderful quality of life!

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