In trespass to chattels, what is the typical remedy?

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Trespass to chattels is about compensating the owner for actual harm caused by interference with possession of personal property. The typical remedy is actual damages that reflect the harm done to the chattel or its use: this can be the cost to repair, the diminution in the chattel’s value caused by the interference, or the rental value for the period of interference. If the chattel is destroyed or permanently damaged, the owner can recover the chattel’s fair market value at the time of destruction. If there’s no actual damage, nominal damages may be awarded. An injunction to stop the interference is not the usual remedy in this tort, and punitive damages are generally not awarded for trespass to chattels absent unusual circumstances. So, recovering the full value of the chattel is not the typical measure for this tort; that level of recovery is more associated with conversion, not trespass to chattels.