Suburban Law Enforcement Academy (SLEA) BA State Certification Practice Exam

Which of the following is NOT a type of compensatory damages?

1. Punitive damages

2. Property damage compensation

3. Medical expenses reimbursement

4. Lost wages recovery

The correct answer is: Punitive damages

Compensatory damages are intended to compensate a plaintiff for actual losses incurred due to another party's actions. These typically include reimbursements for property damage, medical expenses, and lost wages, all of which focus on making the injured party whole by addressing their direct economic losses. Punitive damages, on the other hand, serve a different purpose. They are awarded not to compensate for a loss but to punish the wrongdoer for particularly egregious behavior and deter similar conduct in the future. This distinction is crucial: compensatory damages address the financial losses a plaintiff has experienced, while punitive damages are more about the offense's severity and the need to discourage such behavior. Understanding this difference is fundamental in the realm of tort law, where the focus is often on compensating the victim rather than punishing the offender.