Definition of sort for Students. 1  1 : a group of persons or things that have something in common : kind all sorts of people. 2  2 : person 1, individual He was not a bad sort. 3  3 : general disposition : nature people of an evil sort.
Punitive Damages Definition: Special and highly exceptional damages ordered by a court against a defendant where the act or omission which caused the suit, was of a particularly heinous, malicious or highhanded nature.
You asked what states allow punitive damages in medical malpractice actions, how much is awarded, and under what standards. SUMMARY. Forty-three states, including Connecticut, plus the District of Columbia, allow punitive damages in medical malpractice actions. Five jurisdictions prohibit punitive damages for all civil actions. Two states, Illinois and Oregon, prohibit punitive damages in medical malpractice actions or against specific types of health care providers. Half of the jurisdictions allowing punitive damages do not place any limit on punitive damage awards (Table 1). These jurisdictions include Arizona, Kentucky and Wyoming, which prohibit limitations of any damages awards through their state constitutions.