Punitive damages do not frequently apply in personal injury cases. However, more egregious cases may cause juries to want to punish the defendant. Whether a jury awards punitive damages all depends on the facts. We cannot say that a wrongful death makes it more likely that the jury will hit the defendant with punitive damages, but the fact that someone died may anger the jury and cause them to want to punish someone.Your lawyer will inform the court at the beginning of the case that they are seeking punitive damages on your behalf. If the evidence comes out in discovery that shows that the defendant can be at serious risk of a large verdict, they may be more inclined to negotiate a settlement on your terms.