What with the economic climate of recent years, we are witnessing an increase in judicial proceedings containing questionable claims, the sole purpose of which is to destabilize an adversary in an attempt to get a quick settlement to a conflictive situation. With the exception of claims for legal fees, intended to indemnify actual damages, exemplary damages take the proverbial cake as regards extraordinary claims. To a large extent, this situation is due to the widespread and sometimes unreasonable use of such claims by our neighbours to the south and to the impact created by the large amounts claimed which, at first glance, have a shocking effect.
In fact, it is not uncommon to see a claim for $100,000 and more as exemplary damages for the wrongful and cavalier breach of a contract of employment or contract for services. People, infuriated by this type of behaviour, feel that they are injured and try, by all means available to them, to recover amounts supposedly lost because of
