That triggered a massive movement among brokers who took major sign-on deals at rival firms just so they could make up for the losses on deferrred comp-money they were hoping to use for retirement.

FORBES: UBS Lashes Out In Battle For Brokers

Shell, for one, may want to make up for its Sakhalin-2 losses by taking control of Kashagan.

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States point out that prepaid-tuition plans have yet to miss any payments so far, in part because they have years to make up any short-term market losses.

WSJ: Parents Fear the Math Doesn't Add Up for Prepaid College Plans

And it would take quite a big price on one to make up the losses to its longer-term shareholders.

FORBES: Connect

That is down in part to a stronger private sector - which is more able to make up for losses in the public sector.

BBC: Unemployment set to keep on rising, says forecaster

Unlike so-called compensatory damages, which are designed to make up for monetary losses, punitive damages are meant to punish the wrongdoer in a civil case, and deter similar conduct in the future.

FORBES: $12 Million Punitive Damages Award For Bill Koch Will Prolong His Wine Fraud Case

Many analysts worry that Bristol-Myers' purchase of the DuPont business won't make up for these losses.

FORBES: Top Of The News: Life Sciences Dying

Today, several fuel-centric companies that realize fuel costs are cutting into their bottom lines make up for their losses by passing them along to their customers via fuel surcharges or higher prices.

FORBES: Higher Gas Prices Here To Stay, But Fuel Price Volatility Can Be Tamed

Leading-edge boomers are also nearing retirement, which means their substantial portfolio losses will be hard to make up.

FORBES: Boomers Make The Fear Worse