Can I sue for treble damages?
Treble damages are awarded at the discretion of the court, but the court needs grounds – a legally acceptable reason. Courts generally award treble damages in corporate lawsuits, such as antitrust matters or patent violations, but they can extend to personal injury lawsuits as well.
Are treble damages a penalty?
Treble Damages in Context Like treble damages, punitive damages go beyond compensating the aggrieved party and are specifically designed to punish defendants whose conduct is considered grossly negligent or intentional.
Are punitive damages allowed in Texas?
Punitive damages in Texas may not exceed the greater of: $200,000; or. Twice (2X) the amount of economic damages plus an equal amount of non-economic damages up to $750,000.
How are treble damages calculated?
A treble damages award simply refers to punitive damages that are three times or triple the amount of the award that they are normally entitled. For example, if the compensatory damages amounted to $10,000, a treble damages award would allow the plaintiff to collect $30,000.
Are treble damages in addition to actual damages?
Treble damages are a multiple of, and not an addition to, actual damages in some instances. When such damages are multiplicative and a person received an award of $100 for an injury, a court applying treble damages would raise the award to $300. Some statutes mandate awards of treble damages for all violations.
The Clayton Act specifically states that “any person who shall be injured in his business or property by reason of anything forbidden in the antitrust laws may sue” for treble damages and other costs, including legal fees.
What are punitive damages in Texas?
Punitive damages in Texas are used to ‘send a message’ to the person who has acted in a reckless, grossly negligent manner that warrants additional economic punishment. They will only be awarded if other damages are also awarded. Punitive damages are capped in Texas, as listed in the Texas Statutes here.
What is damages double or treble?
Double or Treble Damages In certain kinds of injuries, the court or jury may award twice or three times the amount of actual damages in accordance to statute that authorizes it. This is called double or treble damages.
What does treble damages mean?
DEFINITION of Treble Damages. Treble damages refer to financial compensation awarded by a court to a prevailing plaintiff that are three times the actual or compensatory damages. Treble damages may be required by the statute that has been violated.
