What does the term 'Severance Damages' refer to in the context of property law?

The term 'Severance Damages' specifically refers to compensation awarded when a portion of a property is taken for public use, such as through eminent domain, while the remaining part of the property is still in private ownership. This concept recognizes that when only part of a property is acquired, the value of the remaining property may be diminished as a result of the loss.

Severance damages can account for the reduction in the fair market value of the remaining property due to factors like change in access, visibility, or the overall utility of the land after the partial taking. This compensation is separate from the value attributed to the portion taken, focusing instead on the impact to what remains.

In the context of the other options, the term does not relate directly to general compensation for property loss or incidences of loss connected to zoning restrictions or condemnation of the entire property, which would more accurately fall under different compensatory principles.