What legal term describes compensation required to restore a person to their original position before a tort?

The term that describes compensation required to restore a person to their original position before a tort is damages. In legal terms, damages represent the monetary compensation awarded to a party for loss or injury caused by the wrongful acts of another party. This compensation aims to make the injured party "whole" again, which typically involves covering the financial losses incurred as a result of the tortious action.

When a tort occurs, such as negligence, trespass, or defamation, the affected party may suffer various forms of harm, including physical injury, emotional distress, or financial loss. The awarding of damages serves both to compensate the victim and to act as a deterrent against future wrongful conduct. Thus, damages effectively fulfill the function of restoring the injured party's position as closely as possible to what it was prior to the tort.

Restitution typically refers to the return of an asset or benefit to its rightful owner and may occur in situations of unjust enrichment, while indemnity pertains to compensation for loss or damage, often in contractual contexts. Forfeiture involves the loss of property or rights as a penalty for a violation, which does not align with restoring a person's position after a tort. Therefore, damages is the most fitting term in this context.