Idaho Law Blog
Compensatory damages or “actual damages” are those monetary amounts that are awarded to compensate for a proven injury or loss. Compensatory damages are broken down into two sub-categories, called “special damages” and “general damages.”
Special damages are those damages that are readily identifiable through documentation and must be specifically claimed and proved. Some examples of special damages include: medical bills, property damage, lost wages, rental bills, and economic loss.
General damages are those damages that the law presumes follows from the type of wrong complained of. General damages would include: loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.
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