nominal damages
Nominal damages are a small monetary award granted to a plaintiff whose legal right has been violated but who has not suffered any actual, measurable harm. They serve to formally recognize that a legal wrong occurred, even though no compensable injury resulted.
Unlike compensatory damages, which aim to restore the plaintiff to the position they would have occupied had the harm not occurred, nominal damages symbolize the vindication of the plaintiff’s rights. Courts commonly award a token sum, often one dollar, though some jurisdictions allow a higher nominal amount depending on the circumstances. For example, in Fisher v. Barker, 159 Ohio App. 3d 745 (2005), the Ohio Court of Appeals held that the plaintiff was entitled to $100 in nominal damages after a violation of his legal rights, despite the absence of actual loss.
[Last reviewed in October of 2025 by the Wex Definitions Team]
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