Civil litigations are extremely common in our society. Many people feel that they have the right to sue for any small grievance. And, in fact there are no real restrictions on when a person can file a lawsuit. However, only a small percentage of these suits ever make it to trial. Many are thrown out and about 16% are settled. In the last several years, the number of lawsuits filed has actually been on the decline, though the number of class action suits has risen. There are several different types of damages sought in civil litigations. Many times, plaintiffs are simply looking for compensatory damages - money to compensate them for expenses, lost wages, etc. Compensatory damages are the most likely to be awarded by a judge or jury, so long as the plaintiff can provide documentation that proves that the money being sought was actually lost. Punitive damages are those designed to punish the defendant, in order to deter the behavior in the future. Judges are less likely to award punitive damages.