What are pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages?
John Thompson
Published Feb 09, 2026
Main Takeaways. Pecuniary losses are losses that you can measure in money, usually by producing a receipt or a bill to show that you have paid an expense or will incur an expense or financial loss in the future. Non-pecuniary damages in a personal injury claim are those losses that cannot be measured precisely in money …
What are general non-pecuniary damages?
Non-pecuniary general damages are awarded for the pain and suffering that an injured person has endured and will endure in the future, as well as the loss of enjoyment of life experienced by the injured person, as a result of the negligence.
What is the pecuniary loss rule?
What are pecuniary losses? The definition of the word pecuniary is relating to money. In the context of a breach of contract, any losses which can be measured in financial terms will be seen as pecuniary. Pecuniary losses are sometimes referred to as ‘economic damages’.
Are pecuniary damages general?
Pecuniary damages (also known as “special damages”) are those that can be measured in dollars, such as loss of past and future earnings, medical costs or care expenses. Non-pecuniary damages (also known as “general damages”) are those that can’t be measured in monetary terms.
Which is the best definition of the word pecuniary?
Definition of pecuniary 1 : consisting of or measured in money pecuniary aid pecuniary gifts 2 : of or relating to money pecuniary needs pecuniary rewards Other Words from pecuniary Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know?
What is the purpose of a non pecuniary award?
The purpose of the non-pecuniary award is to allow the substitution of other sources of satisfaction for those that have been lost. Money thus awarded is intended to be used by the plaintiff to make his or her life more bearable and to provide reasonable solace for his or her intangible losses (Andrews v.
What is the meaning of the word pecunia?
Pecunia has also given us impecunious, a word meaning “having little or no money,” while peculium gave us peculate, a synonym for “embezzle.”. In peculium you might also recognize the word peculiar, which originally meant “exclusively one’s own” or “distinctive” before acquiring its current meaning of “strange.”.
Which is the priority in a pecuniary case?
Preserving power, and the pecuniary interests that come with it, is the priority. — Clarissa Ward, CNN, 9 Apr. 2021 For example, the prejudgment interest statutes in Massachusetts and Minnesota limit the application of prejudgment interest in personal injury cases to pecuniary damages.