Punitive damages are damages awarded above the amount actually needed to compensate an individual who has been injured in Buffalo or elsewhere. They are granted for the purpose of punishing the defendant and deterring similar conduct in the future. Generally, for punitive damages to be granted, it must be established that the party responsible for your injury acted maliciously or with a complete indifference to your safety.
If you are injured in a car accident in Buffalo, for example, you normally would not seek punitive damages because, in most cases, there will be no evidence that the other driver harmed you maliciously or was completely indifferent to the safety of others. If, however, you are injured in the workplace and there is proof that the company was not only aware of the hazard, but also took steps to hide the risk, you may pursue punitive damages.
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