When Are Punitive Damages Awarded?

There are several forms of damages that an Oklahoma civil suit may be able to recover for a victim. After an injury accident or a wrongful death incident, it is important to connect with an experienced attorney with knowledge of the wrongful death and personal injury laws in your state. For residents of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma City wrongful death attorneys at Putnam Law can assist you with your claim and help you get the most compensation possible from it. 

When Do Punitive Damages Apply to a Claim?

Punitive damages are a legal means to punish a person for their egregious actions that went far and beyond simple negligence. For example, a person who drives 10 miles over the speed limit and causes a crash may be found liable for the accident because they were speeding. But here there may not be punitive damages added to the final settlement amount. 

By contrast, a person driving 30 miles over the speed limit that causes a cataclysmic crash with deadly consequences may have to pay additional punitive damages because of their excessive speed and gross neglect of the speed limit. It is known that in many cases, that speed can play a part in how grievous the outcome of an accident is.

For the majority of personal injury cases, there are many damages that victims may suffer that they can use in their claims for compensation. Some of these include:

• Medical expenses
• Property damages
• Pain and suffering
• Missed wages

For those who lost a loved one in a deadly event, they may be able to include other damages like loss of consortium or funeral expenses to name a few.

Punitive damages when compared to other damages that a personal injury or wrongful death claim warrants are not common. Punitive damages are actually rarely awarded because there is a level of negligence that must be crossed before these are added to a final settlement. And that is exactly what punitive damages are. An extra amount of financial compensation is added on top of one’s settlement to punish the culpable party for their shocking and unacceptable behavior. It also acts as a precedent and means to potentially deter others from acting in the same manner.

Speak with an Oklahoma Personal Injury Attorney Today 

When you work with the seasoned Oklahoma personal injury lawyers at Putnam Law you can expect your attorney to gather all relevant evidence necessary to help you secure the most from your personal injury claim. Our team will show how severe your damages are and why the defendant is responsible for all of your harm. 

If your case is one where punitive damages apply, we will work with experts and fight aggressively to get you all of the compensation that you deserve. The legal team at Putnam Law is dedicated to serving victims of injury accidents. In those cases where are most appalling behavior lead to damages, we will highlight this too and work to secure punitive damages. To schedule a free consultation with an Oklahoma injury attorney at Putnam Law today at (405) 849-9149.