第36解

damages

【英文】Damages place a monetary value on the harm done，following the principle of restitutio in integrum（Latin for “restoration to the original condition”）.Thus，for most purposes connected with the quantification of damages，the degree of culpability in the breach of the duty of care is irrelevant.Once the breach of the duty is established，the only requirement is to compensate the victim.

【譯文】損害賠償金確定的是所受傷害的貨幣價值，所依據的是恢復原狀原則（拉丁語restitutio…in…intgrum表示“恢復原狀”）。因而大多數情況下，損害賠償金的計量與違反謹慎義務之有罪行為程度并不相關。一旦確定違反了謹慎義務，唯一的要求就是賠償受害者。

【解釋】damages 為“損害賠償金”，其常為因侵權行為而由法官或陪審團判給請求權人的貨幣價值。

再如：

1.One of the main tests that is posed when deliberating whether a claimant is entitled to compensation for a tort，is the “reasonable person”.The test is selfexplanatory：would a reasonable person（as determined by a judge or jury）be damaged by the breach of duty. Simple as the “reasonable person” test sounds，it is very complicated.It is a risky test because it involves the opinion of either the judge or the jury that can be based on limited facts.However，as vague as the “reasonable person”test seems，it is extremely important in deciding whether or not a plaintiff is entitled to compensation for a negligence tort.〔譯文：審議某一請求權人是否有權因侵權行為而獲得賠償時，所提出的一個主要檢驗方法就是“合理審慎之人”。該檢驗手段不解自明：合理謹慎之人（由法官或陪審團決定）會因違反謹慎義務而受到傷害嗎？“合理謹慎之人”這一檢驗方法聽起來雖然簡單，但實則復雜。因涉及法官或陪審團的主觀意見，而該意見可能基于有限事實，所有該檢驗方法具有風險性。然而，盡管“合理謹慎之人”這一檢驗方法似乎比較模糊，在裁定因過失侵權原告是否有權獲得賠償時，該檢驗方法尤其重要。〕

2.Damages are compensatory in nature.Compensatory damages address a plaintiff/claimant’s losses（in cases involving physical or mental injury the amount awarded also compensates for pain and suffering）.The award should make the plaintiff whole，sufficient to put the plaintiff back in the position he or she was before defendant’s negligent act.Anything more would unlawfully permit a plaintiff to profit from the tort.〔譯文：從本質上講，損害賠償金具有賠償性質。賠償性損害賠償金解決的是原告或請求權人的損失（涉及人身傷害或精神損害時，所判給的損害賠償金數額也是賠償傷痛和精神折磨）。所判給的賠償金使得原告不受損失，即足以使原告回到他或她在被告疏忽行為發生前的狀況。超出這一額度之任何判定金額都將容許原告因侵權行為而非法得益。〕

3.Types of damages

Special damages—quantifiable dollar losses suffered from the date of defendant’s negligent act（the tort）up to a specified time（proven at trial）. Special damage examples include lost wages，medical bills，and damage to property such as one’s car.

General damages—these are damages that are not quantified in monetary terms （e.g.，there’s no invoice or receipt as there would be to prove special damages）. A general damage example is an amount for the pain and suffering one experiences from a car accident.Lastly，where the plaintiff proves only minimal loss or damage，or the court or jury is unable to quantify the losses，the court or jury may award nominal damages.

Punitive damages—punitive damages are to punish a defendant，rather than to compensate plaintiffs，in negligence cases.In most jurisdictions punitive damages are recoverable in a negligence action，but only if the plaintiff shows that the defendant’s conduct was more than ordinary negligence（i.e.，wanton and willful or reckless）.〔譯文：損害賠償類型：特定損害賠償金——可以以金錢計量的、損失從被告之疏忽行為（侵權行為）發生之日算起一直到規定的某一時間（該時間在審理時證明〕的損害賠償金。判給特定損害賠償金的情形包括失去工資、醫療費用、以及諸如汽車等財產損失。

一般損害賠償金——此類損害賠償金不是以金錢的形式計量（例如沒有發票或收據證明特定損失時）。例如，發生交通事故后判給遭受了痛苦和精神傷害的受害者的就是一般損害賠償金。最后，凡原告僅能證明最低損失或損害、或者法官或陪審團不能確定損失之數量時，法官或陪審團可以判給象征性損害賠償金。

懲罰性損害賠償金——懲罰性損害賠償金旨在過失性案件中懲罰被告，而非賠償原告。在大多數司法管轄權，懲罰性損害賠償金可經過失之訴而獲得，但僅當原告能夠證明被告之行為并非一般過失（即惡意和故意或輕率）時才能獲得）。