Four Types of Damages Available in a Breach of Contract - Pence Law Firm, PC (2024)

Four Types of Damages Available in a Breach of Contract - Pence Law Firm, PC (1)

Usually, when two parties enter into a business contract, both intend to uphold their end of the deal. However, sometimes circ*mstances arise that make the terms of the contract less appealing or even impossible to uphold. If someone breaches their contract with your business, it can leave you in a lurch, financially, practically, or both.

Sometimes, it is possible to take your breach of contract case to court and receive compensation for your losses. Today, we’re looking into four types of damages you may be able to receive in a breach of contract case.

1.Compensatory damages

Compensatory damages aim to restore the party who did NOT breach the contract back to the position they would have been in if the other party had held up their end of the deal as promised.

2.Punitive damages

Punitive damages go beyond compensatory damages. The breaching party must not only restore the non-breaching party, but also give them more money beyond that. This is intended to punish the breaching party for the damage they have inflicted. It is rare for punitive damages to be awarded in business contract cases.

3.Nominal damages

Nominal damages are symbolic and usually not a lot of money. They are awarded in cases where perhaps the non-breaching party was not severely, if at all, impacted by the breach but still want to hold the other party accountable.

4.Liquidated damages

Sometimes a contract lists certain, specific damages that can be collected in case of a breach. These are referred to as liquidated damages. Usually the only liquidated damages that qualify to be collected in a business contract case are those that are reasonably calculated estimates of what losses would have (and did) occur as a result of a breach.

At Pence Law Firm, P.C. we understand the importance of business contracts and how much stress it can cause when you start incurring losses because someone you trusted didn’t do what they said they were going to do. That’s why we’re passionate about handling business litigation matters, including breach of contract. We find peaceful resolution whenever possible and fight for you in court when necessary. If you are a business owner in or around Jenks, Oklahoma and would like to learn more about our services, we encourage you tocontact ustoday. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Four Types of Damages Available in a Breach of Contract - Pence Law Firm, PC (2024)

FAQs

Four Types of Damages Available in a Breach of Contract - Pence Law Firm, PC? ›

Are you wondering about seeking damages for breach of contract? There are five important types of damages that might be available, depending on your situation: compensatory damages, specific performance, an injunction, liquidated damages, or rescission.

What are the four types of damages available for breach of contract? ›

Are you wondering about seeking damages for breach of contract? There are five important types of damages that might be available, depending on your situation: compensatory damages, specific performance, an injunction, liquidated damages, or rescission.

What are the 4 types of breach of contract you need to be aware of? ›

In each scenario, you're clearly the victim of an obviously broken contract, but the tricky part is determining what type if contract breach occurred and what remedies are legally available to you. Generally speaking, there are four types of contract breaches: anticipatory, actual, minor and material.

What are the 4 elements required in a breach of contract claim? ›

These types of lawsuits are common in business litigation. There are four elements of a breach of contract claim: a valid contract, performance, breach, and damages.

Which of the following are the four major categories of damages? ›

One of the most common remedies comes in the form of damages, or monetary awards, which are further broken down into four general categories.
  • Compensatory Damages. Compensatory damages (or “actual damages”) are specifically meant to make up for the plaintiff's losses. ...
  • Punitive Damages. ...
  • Liquidation Damages. ...
  • Nominal Damages.
Jun 26, 2019

What is damages for breach of contract in contract law? ›

Section 73 states- “When a contract has been broken, the party who suffers by such breach is entitled to receive, from the party who has broken the contract, compensation for any loss or damage caused to him thereby, which naturally arose in the usual course of things from such breach, or which the parties knew, when ...

What are the 4 elements of negligence intent breach causation and damages? ›

A negligence claim requires that the person bringing the claim (the plaintiff) establish four distinct elements: duty of care, breach, causation, and damages.

What are the most common types of breaches? ›

The 7 Most Common Types of Data Breaches and How They Affect Your Business
  • Stolen Information.
  • Ransomware.
  • Password Guessing.
  • Recording Keystrokes.
  • Phishing.
  • Malware or Virus.
  • Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)

What are the main types of remedies for breach of a contract? ›

When one among the party commits a Breach of the Contract, the opposite party becomes entitled to any of the subsequent reliefs:
  • Rescission of the Contract.
  • Damages for the loss suffered.
  • Suit for the precise performance.
  • Suit upon quantum meruit.
  • Suit for the injunction.

What is the most common breach of contract? ›

Although a breach of contract can have various elements, the most common are:
  • Failure to complete a project on time;
  • Failure to provide payment on time;
  • Failure to meet the standards found in the contract;
  • Failure to complete the project as presented in the contract.

What are the 4 main elements of a contract? ›

The basic elements required for the agreement to be a legally enforceable contract are: mutual assent, expressed by a valid offer and acceptance; adequate consideration; capacity; and legality.

How to claim damages for breach of contract? ›

You cannot bring a breach of contract claim merely because the other party has failed to perform; you must have suffered loss as a result. The type of loss you have incurred must have been a foreseeable consequence of the subsequent breach at the time you made the contract. You are under a duty to mitigate any loss.

What are the 5 breaches of contract? ›

  • Minor Breach. ...
  • Material Breach. ...
  • Anticipatory Breach. ...
  • Fundamental Breach. ...
  • Actual Breach.

How many types of damages are there? ›

Under this, there are two types of compensatory damages- General Damages and Special Damages. General Damages- Also known as Ordinary Damages, these are the damages caused naturally due to contract breach. These damages are restricted to direct consequences arising due to unforeseen circ*mstances.

What are 4 the most common types of torts include? ›

Common torts include:assault, battery, damage to personal property, conversion of personal property, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Injury to people may include emotional harm as well as physical harm.

Are punitive damages available for breach of contract? ›

The majority of American jurisdictions do not allow punitive dam- ages for breach of contract unless the breach constitutes an independ- ent tort.

What is the most common type of damages awarded in breach of contract cases? ›

An award of compensatory damages is the most common of the legal remedies for breach of contract. The calculation of compensatory damages is based on the actual losses you have sustained as a result of the breach of contract. They typically fall into two categories: expectation damages and consequential damages.

What are three of the four types of damages in a tort action? ›

There are three types of damage that form the foundation of most civil lawsuits: compensatory, nominal, and punitive. An attorney can estimate how much your claim may be worth based on your damages.

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