Lawsuits awards can vary greatly. Most awards in civil suits come in the form of compensatory damages. Compensatory damages are those designed to make up for money actually lost. This money could be in the form of salary that could not be earned due to time lost from work or could be in the form of expenses paid. For example, if your pet is hurt by another person's pet you may be able to sue for veterinary expenses. The second form of lawsuits awards are punitive damages. These are damages designed to punish the plaintiff. In a few cases, punitive damages may be very high. However, many states have caps on the amount of punitive damages that can be obtained, and in many states a large percentage of any punitive damages awarded are shared with the state. This is to discourage people from filing frivolous lawsuits in an attempt to "get rich quick".