What are compensatory damages?

When you win a lawsuit, a judge or jury often issues a monetary award in the form of compensatory damages. These damages are intended to replace what was lost and nothing more. In order to receive compensatory damages, you must prove that you have suffered a loss that can be monetarily assessed and measured by a judge or jury.

But your loss doesn’t have to be monetary in order to receive repayment. Nearly any kind of cost can be repaid through compensatory damages. Compensatory damages are often awarded in cases of physical injury, in which medical bills and missed time at work can be repaid. But courts will often weigh many kinds of injury that aren’t as straightforward, such as emotional distress.