Punitive damages are amounts a defendant is required to pay as punishment for committing a civil wrong in order to?

• A. to discourage other people from committing similar wrongs in the future
• B. to compensate for medical expenses
• C. to cover court costs
• D. to pay for attorney fees

Answer: (A)

Punitive damages are intended to punish the wrongdoer and deter others from alike misconduct. They serve as a deterrent, not as a payment for the plaintiff’s actual losses. The money is meant to discourage future similar behavior by signaling that egregious conduct will have serious consequences. In contrast, compensatory damages cover actual harms like medical expenses and losses, while court costs and attorney fees are about litigation costs, not punishment or deterrence. So the best answer is that punitive damages exist to discourage others from committing similar wrongs in the future.