{"id":18824,"date":"2015-08-02T19:27:39","date_gmt":"2015-08-03T02:27:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pdxinjurylaw.com\/?post_type=faqs&p=18824"},"modified":"2021-07-22T16:04:21","modified_gmt":"2021-07-22T16:04:21","slug":"what-are-punitive-damages-for-a-personal-injury-case","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/pdxinjurylaw.com\/es\/faqs\/what-are-punitive-damages-for-a-personal-injury-case\/","title":{"rendered":"What are punitive damages for a personal injury case?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Punitive damages in a personal injury case are used as a means to punish the wrongdoer, or defendent. It is used as a supplemental form of compensation if a judge determines that other forms (such as non-economic or economic damages) are not enough.\u00a0Punitive damages for a personal injury case<\/a>\u00a0are usually awarded in special cases<\/strong>, and within the state of Oregon, the plaintiff sees little of such compensation.<\/p>\n

Say you’ve been awarded\u00a0punitive damages<\/a>: the state will take 70% of that, and your lawyer will usually get about 20%, leaving you with only 10%. This amount can then be taxed, which in the end, may leave you with just 5% of the original amount. In the right case, with a proper amount of evidence to prove the need for punitive damages, such a means makes sense, but most injured people are better off seeking only “economic” or “non-economic” damages rather than punitive damages.<\/p>\n

Punitive damages are only awarded when the defendant has done something particularly egregious. The most famous case with a punitive damages award is probably the case of the McDonald’s coffee burns:<\/p>\n

El caso del caf\u00e9 de McDonald's: un mito explicado<\/h2>\n

\"Oregon<\/p>\n

There seems to be more and more criticism of personal injury lawsuits, perhaps because people have tried to claim compensation for some very frivolous injuries. We hate frivolous lawsuits more than anyone. We make our living pursuing justice in the courts, and frivolous lawsuits give the courts and justice a bad name. Most personal injury suits are not only valid \u2013 they are the only way to ensure that insurance companies and bad drivers are held accountable, and good people are able to pay their medical bills.<\/p>\n

The McDonald\u2019s Coffee case is one of the most famous personal injury lawsuits, but it is commonly misunderstood. People think they know all about the McDonald\u2019s coffee case. But there are some facts that are not widely known, that might change your opinion of the verdict. Was the lawsuit frivolous? Here are the facts. You decide.<\/p>\n

Stella Liebeck was in the passenger seat of her grandson\u2019s car. She was 79 years old. After picking up coffee at a drive-through window, her grandson pulled over and came to a complete stop so Ms. Liebeck could open the lid to add cream and sugar. She was not driving, and the car was not moving. As she removed the lid, she spilled the entire cup into her lap.<\/p>\n