Final answer:
Compensatory damages refer to monetary compensation awarded in civil litigation to make the injured party 'whole' again for financial, physical, or emotional losses. Unlike punitive damages or injunctions, they are connected to actual losses suffered by the claimant. Civil juries can recommend amounts for such damages while judges determine outcomes in bench trials.
Step-by-step explanation:
The monetary amount necessary to replace what a claimant has lost, including money, pain, and other non-monetary losses, is termed compensatory damages. These are intended to make the injured party 'whole' again to the extent that money can do this. Unlike punitive damages, which are meant to punish the defendant and deter similar conduct in the future, or an injunction relief which orders the defendant to stop a certain action or to do a specific act, compensatory damages are directly related to the victim's demonstrated losses. Front pay is compensation for lost future earnings due to the wrongful termination or discrimination.
In the context of civil cases, where a monetary dispute exceeds twenty dollars and where the right to a jury trial is protected under the Seventh Amendment, parties may seek compensatory damages. Civil juries might recommend the amount of compensatory damages based on both monetary and non-monetary losses, whereas a judge in a bench trial would solely determine the outcome. The avenue for compensation through civil court remains open even if one is not found guilty in a related criminal case, allowing for remedies such as compensatory damages.