Remedies For Breach Of Contract Essay

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REMEDIES FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT
What are the Remedies for Breach of Contract?

There are several remedies for breach of contract, such as award of damages, specific performance, rescission, andrestitution. In courts of limited jurisdiction, the main remedy is an award of damages. Because specific performance and rescission are equitable remedies that do not fall within the jurisdiction of the magistrate courts, they are not covered in this tutorial.

What Damages Can Be Awarded?

There are two general categories of damages that may be awarded if a breach of contract claim is proved. They are:

1. Compensatory Damages. Compensatory damages (also called “actual damages”) cover the loss the nonbreaching party incurred as a result of the breach …show more content…

General Damages. General damages cover the loss directly and necessarily incurred by the breach of contract. General damages are the most common type of damages awarded for breaches of contract.

Example: Company A delivered the wrong kind of furniture to Company B. After discovering the mistake later in the day, Company B insisted that Company A pick up the wrong furniture and deliver the right furniture. Company A refused to pick up the furniture and said that it could not supply the right furniture because it was not in stock. Company B successfully sued for breach of contract. The general damages for this breach could include:

• refund of any amount Company B had prepaid for the furniture; plus
• reimbursement of any expense Company B incurred in sending the furniture back to Company A; plus
• payment for any increase in the cost Company B incurred in buying the right furniture, or its nearest equivalent, from another seller.

B. Special Damages. Special damages (also called “consequential damages”) cover any loss incurred by the breach of contract because of special circumstances or conditions that are not ordinarily predictable. These are actual losses caused by the breach, but not in a direct and immediate way. To obtain damages for this type of loss, the nonbreaching party must prove that the breaching party knew of the special circumstances or requirements at the time the contract was …show more content…

2. Punitive Damages. Punitive damages (also called “exemplary damages”) are awarded to punish or make an example of a wrongdoer who has acted willfully, maliciously or fraudulently. Unlike compensatory damages that are intended to cover actual loss, punitive damages are intended to punish the wrongdoer for egregious behavior and to deter others from acting in a similar manner. Punitive damages are awarded in addition to compensatory damages.

Punitive damages are rarely awarded for breach of contract. They arise more often in tort cases, to punish deliberate or reckless misconduct that results in personal harm.

How are Compensatory Damages

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