6.71 Damages: Nominal refers to a type of compensatory damages awarded in civil court cases in which the plaintiff has suffered some kind of harm, but the amount of the damage is not significant enough to be considered compensatory. These are typically awarded in cases where the harm is primarily emotional or psychological in nature, or when the damage is so small that the plaintiff would not be able to recover economic damages. Nominal damages are generally symbolic or representational and are usually awarded to establish a legal precedent or to recognize the plaintiff's right to bring a claim. Some common types of nominal damages are nominal compensatory damages, nominal punitive damages, and nominal statutory damages.