Therefore, plaintiff argued, he could properly request punitive damages. In May 1999, the trial court granted plaintiff's motion to voluntarily dismiss counts I and III with leave to refile. The trial court also entered an order dismissing counts II and IV with prejudice, finding plaintiff violated section 2-604.1 by requesting punitive damages in his amended complaint. Plaintiff then filed the instant appeal. However, a plaintiff may, pursuant to a pretrial motion and after a hearing before the court, amend the complaint to include a prayer for relief seeking punitive damages.
Statutory construction is a matter of law and is considered de novo.
The principal rule of statutory construction is to ascertain and give effect to the legislature's intent. To determine the legislature's intent, courts first look to the statute's language. Courts accord the statute's language its plain and commonly understood meaning. 296 Ill. App. If possible, courts must give effect to every word, clause, and sentence and may not read a statute so as to render any part inoperative, superfluous, or insignificant.