What term refers to the amount equal to the loss sustained in a legal case?

The term that refers to the amount equal to the loss sustained in a legal case is compensatory damages. These damages are intended to directly compensate the injured party for the actual losses they have suffered due to the defendant’s actions. This can include a wide range of losses such as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. The goal is to restore the plaintiff to the position they would have been in had the harm not occurred.

In legal contexts, compensatory damages can be broken down further into economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover quantifiable losses, while non-economic damages address more subjective losses like emotional distress.

Other terms, such as punitive damages, are meant to punish the wrongdoer and deter future misconduct rather than to compensate the victim for their losses. Actual damages is a term sometimes used interchangeably with compensatory damages, but it often carries a more specific connotation related to proven financial losses. Nominal damages refer to a small sum awarded to a plaintiff when a legal wrong has occurred but no significant financial loss has been proven. Thus, compensatory damages is the most accurate choice when referring to the amounts that directly correspond to the loss sustained.