Punitive damages are those that a court can award as a punishment for wrongdoing aside from any actual damages suffered by the plaintiff from any such wrongdoing. Punitive damages are specifically prohibited under the Lanham Act. However, a court may award treble damages,prejudgment interest and costs in cases in which the court deems such an award as just, and as long as the award is not made for punitive reasons. Courts can also award reasonable attorneys' fees in exceptional cases such as egregious intentional infringement.
