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.

【译文】损害赔偿金确定的是所受伤害的货币价值，所依据的是恢复原状原则（拉丁语restitutio…in…intgrum表示“恢复原状”）。因而大多数情况下，损害赔偿金的计量与违反谨慎义务之有罪行为程度并不相关。一旦确定违反了谨慎义务，唯一的要求就是赔偿受害者。

【解释】damages 为“损害赔偿金”，其常为因侵权行为而由法官或陪审团判给请求权人的货币价值。

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.〔译文：审议某一请求权人是否有权因侵权行为而获得赔偿时，所提出的一个主要检验方法就是“合理审慎之人”。该检验手段不解自明：合理谨慎之人（由法官或陪审团决定）会因违反谨慎义务而受到伤害吗？“合理谨慎之人”这一检验方法听起来虽然简单，但实则复杂。因涉及法官或陪审团的主观意见，而该意见可能基于有限事实，所有该检验方法具有风险性。然而，尽管“合理谨慎之人”这一检验方法似乎比较模糊，在裁定因过失侵权原告是否有权获得赔偿时，该检验方法尤其重要。〕

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.〔译文：从本质上讲，损害赔偿金具有赔偿性质。赔偿性损害赔偿金解决的是原告或请求权人的损失（涉及人身伤害或精神损害时，所判给的损害赔偿金数额也是赔偿伤痛和精神折磨）。所判给的赔偿金使得原告不受损失，即足以使原告回到他或她在被告疏忽行为发生前的状况。超出这一额度之任何判定金额都将容许原告因侵权行为而非法得益。〕

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）.〔译文：损害赔偿类型：特定损害赔偿金——可以以金钱计量的、损失从被告之疏忽行为（侵权行为）发生之日算起一直到规定的某一时间（该时间在审理时证明〕的损害赔偿金。判给特定损害赔偿金的情形包括失去工资、医疗费用、以及诸如汽车等财产损失。

一般损害赔偿金——此类损害赔偿金不是以金钱的形式计量（例如没有发票或收据证明特定损失时）。例如，发生交通事故后判给遭受了痛苦和精神伤害的受害者的就是一般损害赔偿金。最后，凡原告仅能证明最低损失或损害、或者法官或陪审团不能确定损失之数量时，法官或陪审团可以判给象征性损害赔偿金。

惩罚性损害赔偿金——惩罚性损害赔偿金旨在过失性案件中惩罚被告，而非赔偿原告。在大多数司法管辖权，惩罚性损害赔偿金可经过失之诉而获得，但仅当原告能够证明被告之行为并非一般过失（即恶意和故意或轻率）时才能获得）。