Suing for Punitive Damages in Wheaton

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Litigation Lawyers in Wheaton

In Wheaton, Illinois, civil litigation serves the main purpose of compensating individuals who have been victims of wrongdoing, and not meting out punishment, vengeance, or moral judgment.

There is an exception to this basic rule, however: in certain cases, a court in Wheaton, Illinois will award damages designed to punish the wrongdoer, and deter others from future wrongdoing. This practice is identified as "punitive damages."

It's essential to note that courts in Wheaton, Illinois 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 Wheaton, Illinois

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

In Wheaton, Illinois, 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 Wheaton, Illinois 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.

There are limits on punitive damages in Wheaton, Illinois. The Supreme Court has held that punitive damage awards which are grossly disproportionate to the immorality of the conduct, and the harm that it caused, are an unconstitutional deprivation of property without due process of law.

A good rule of thumb for calculating the upper limit of punitive damages in Wheaton, Illinois is that punitive damages can be no larger than compensatory damages times ten. This rule is not absolute, of course. Courts in Illinois have a good deal of discretion in awarding punitive damages, and will decide them based on the facts of each case. Because of this, punitive damage awards larger than 10 times compensatory damages are occasionally upheld, while much smaller awards have been overturned, because they were deemed excessive in a certain case.

How Can a Wheaton, Illinois Attorney Help?

In Wheaton, Illinois, 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 located in Wheaton, Illinois, and are engaged in a case that you think, based on the information conveyed above, that might have punitive damages as an option, you can't be sure what, if anything, you're entitled to from the defendant until you consult with a Wheaton, Illinois civil litigation attorney

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Life in Wheaton

Wheaton is an affluent city located in DuPage County, Illinois. It is very near Chicago (approximately 25 miles away) and located west of Lake Michigan.

Some of Wheaton's attractions include the Cosley Zoo, Arrowhead Golf Club, Cantigny Park and Golf Course, Danada Forest Preserve and Illinois Prairie Path. A very popular historic site includes Grand Theater, which was built in 1925 and is included in the National Register of Historic Places.

Wheaton is also home to many attorneys that practice in various legal fields. Also, being so near Chicago, Wheaton residents can take advantage of Chicago's top-notch legal force. Chicago is home to many top law firms with ivy-league educated attorneys who focus on providing excellent legal services.

All in all, Wheaton is a safe suburb that provides a community-like feel and a wonderful quality of life!

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