When you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury, you deserve compensation for your damages. Someone acted negligently with your safety, and sadly, you’re now the one suffering for it.
Worse, they might have acted more than just negligently. Maybe you believe they intentionally harmed you or acted extremely negligently, and now you want to seek punitive damages. When are punitive damages awarded in Wisconsin?
Unfortunately, these damages aren’t easy to come by in any state. For a successful claim, you’ll need to focus on whether your claim is eligible for punitive damages and how much you should receive for your suffering.
Acting Maliciously
When you’re injured by someone else, the accident might already have been caused by negligence. They injured you, and you’re suffering for the pain they caused. When does that damage become more than simple negligence in Wisconsin, and when can punitive damages be awarded?
You’ll need to prove that the defense acted willfully and wantonly negligent. That means they completely disregarded your personal rights, or they intentionally caused you harm. You’ll need to show that other people were awarded punitive damages in similar cases, the defendant can pay for it, and that you suffered greatly because of them.
Getting Punitive Damages in Wisconsin
Proving they were especially negligent will be vital to your claim, but it isn’t always easy. Because these damages are intended to punish the other person, rather than award you funds, you’ll need to provide further proof than simply fault. You might need a lawyer’s help to recover the evidence needed.
Unfortunately, those damages are limited. Wisconsin law states that punitive damages cannot be worth more than double the compensatory damages you’ll receive. If you believe the defendant was more than just negligent, you deserve to seek punitive damages. A qualified and highly trained attorney can help you seek compensation you need for recovery.
A Lawyer Can Help
Unfortunately, punitive damages aren’t easy to seek in Wisconsin. You’ll need to provide additional proof of your injuries, and even then, your damages are limited. You might need to enlist the help of a qualified and highly trained attorney.
Fortunately, a Wisconsin personal injury lawyer from The Law Offices of Gary S. Greenberg can help. Our attorneys understand how difficult it can be to recover from an injury without maximum compensation, so we’ll fight for you and your punitive damages. Although your punitive damages are limited, we’ll work diligently for the maximum damages you can receive for your claim.
Get started with our attorneys today by reaching out for a free claim consultation. We’ll review what damages you can seek and how we plan to work for your punitive damages. We want you to know what we’ll do for your claim before you sign anything.
If you’re considering fighting for punitive damages but aren’t sure where to begin, contact our attorneys. Reach out to us by calling 414-271-7007 or by visiting our website for more information.