Damages in civil cases are classified into which two categories?

• A. Compensatory and Punitive
• B. Direct and Indirect
• C. Nominal and Liquidated
• D. Actual and Incidental

Answer: (A)

Damages in civil cases fall into two main categories: compensatory damages, which aim to reimburse the plaintiff for losses suffered, and punitive damages, which punish the wrongdoer and deter future misconduct. Compensatory damages cover both economic losses (such as medical bills, lost wages, property repair) and noneconomic losses (like pain and suffering). Punitive damages go beyond reimbursing losses and are awarded only in cases of particularly wrongful conduct to punish the defendant and deter others. The other terms don’t describe the standard damage categories: direct vs indirect relates to causation, nominal vs liquidated are specific contractual/litigation concepts, and actual vs incidental isn’t a standard classification for damages.