damages

Legal Definition of damages

Noun

1. A cash compensation ordered by a court to offset losses or suffering caused by another's fault or negligence. Damages are a typical request made of a court when persons sue for breach of contract or tort.

Related terms

• incidental damages
• actual damages
• aggravated damages
• expectation damages
• punitive damages
• general damages
• liquidated damages
• direct damages
• consequential damages
• reliance damages
• hedonic damages
• special damages
• unliquidated damages

Definition of damages

Pronunciation

• Audio (US) ^[?]

Verb

damages

1. Third-person singular simple present indicative form of damage.

Noun

damages (plural only)

1. (law) The money paid or awarded to a claimant (in England), a pursuer (in Scotland) or a plaintiff (in the US) in a civil action.

Further reading

In law, damages are money claimed by, or ordered to be paid to, a person as compensation for loss or injury Black's Law Dictionary.