Punitive damages are a form of monetary compensation awarded in civil lawsuits that go beyond simply compensating the injured party for losses. Instead, they are intended to punish the wrongdoer for particularly egregious behavior and deter others from committing similar acts. This type of damages is often associated with cases of libel and defamation, where the actions of the defendant are deemed harmful and malicious, thus warranting an additional penalty beyond standard compensatory damages.
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