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Nominal Damages: What You Need to Know

Nominal damages are awarded when the plaintiff is legally in the right, but has not suffered substantial losses. Because the plaintiff has no established need for compensation, the amounts awarded in these cases are usually very small. They may only cover the plaintiff’s legal costs, or they may be as little as one dollar.

What are Nominal Damages?

In a typical personal injury claim, the plaintiff needs to provide evidence of the physical harm or property damage he or she suffered. If the court is convinced that the defendant caused these injuries, the plaintiff will receive repayment. However, sometimes plaintiffs lack this crucial part of their case. This can be due to a simple failure to gather the right evidence, or it could be due to a lack of actual injuries.

Most of the time, a lack of evidence that you have suffered injuries would mean you do not have grounds for a personal injury claim. However, in some circumstances, it is worthwhile to pursue a kind of compensation known as nominal damages. To learn more about legal damages and your rights as an injured party, contact the Tampa personal injury lawyers of the Ruth Law Team at 1-888-593-2755

The Purpose of Nominal Damages

Nominal damages are awarded when the plaintiff is legally in the right, but has not suffered substantial losses. Because the plaintiff has no established need for compensation, the amounts awarded in these cases are usually very small. They may only cover the plaintiff’s legal costs, or they may be as little as one dollar.

As a general rule, nominal damages are awarded in one of two situations. In some cases, the plaintiff is seeking compensation, but has failed to present evidence of his or her losses. In others, the plaintiff has not suffered physical losses, but has been victimized in some way.

If nominal damages are so small, you may be wondering why anyone would deliberately pursue them. When people chose to do so, they are usually seeking a court’s acknowledgement that their rights have been violated. In these cases, the amount awarded is not the point. The plaintiffs are either trying to establish grounds to take further legal action of another kind, or they simply want the mistreatment they have received to be part of the legal record.

If you are considering a personal injury claim, our experienced Tampa personal injury attorneys can carefully review your case and explain your right and options.

Contact Us

The right legal representation can make a great deal of difference in the outcome of your claim. Contact the personal injury lawyers of the Ruth Law Team at 1-888-593-2755 to discuss your grounds for legal action.

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