A jury awards an injured claimant $300,000 in compensatory damages and $500,000 in punitive damages. The punitive portion is best described as:
Explanation
Punitive damages punish conduct a court finds willful, malicious, or grossly reckless and deter its repetition; they go beyond making the claimant whole. Medical bills, future lost earnings, and restoration of actual losses are all compensatory and make up the $300,000 portion of this award. Many liability policies do not cover punitive damages, and whether they may be insured at all is a question decided under each state's law.
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