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Strictly speaking, no. Defendants in a civil suit do not receive jail time or criminal fines as punishment. Those are criminal sentences, and personal injury cases are civil actions. In some cases, a jury may awarded punitive or exemplary damages. Punitive damages punish a defendant whose conduct was willful, wanton, or malicious. The goal of punitive damages is to discourage others from behaving in a similar fashion in the future.

Will the person who injured me be punished?

 

A: Strictly speaking, no.  Defendants in a civil suit do not receive jail time or criminal fines as punishment.  Those are criminal sentences, and personal injury cases are “civil” actions.  In some cases, a jury may awarded “punitive” or “exemplary” damages.  Punitive damages punish a defendant whose conduct was willful, wanton, or malicious.  The goal of punitive damages is to discourage others from behaving in a similar fashion in the future.


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