Actual damages, including lost profits, may be recovered for copyright infringement if they can be proven. In some cases, a court may require disgorgement of the infringer’s profits.
Statutory damages may be recovered without proof of actual damages if certain criteria are met. The amount of statutory damages can range from $750 to $30,000 per work or up to $150,000 if the infringement was willful. Eligibility for statutory damages is conditioned on timely registration.
In some cases, attorney fees may be awarded, conditioned on timely registration of the copyright.
The United States Supreme Court has issued an important decision that may result in a longer look-back period for copyright infringement damages in some cases. Read more about this decision in Copyright Infringement Damages.