The Answer
They serve two very different purposes.
- Compensatory damages are meant to make you whole. They cover real losses like medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering
- Punitive damages aren't about compensating you. They're meant to punish especially harmful conduct and deter it from happening again, and Michigan law limits them to specific circumstances, often tied to statutory claims rather than ordinary negligence
Most personal injury cases center on compensatory damages. Punitive damages tend to surface in cases involving egregious conduct, like certain civil rights violations, where the law specifically allows for them. Understanding which applies to your situation shapes how a case is valued from the start.
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