What is the difference between compensatory and consequential damages?

Asked by: Geovanni Abbott  |  Last update: February 19, 2022
Score: 4.6/5 (23 votes)

Compensatory damages, as the name implies, are intended to compensate a claimant for the actual loss, injury, or harm sustained. ... The term “consequential damages” is meant to indicate that the damages sought are merely an indirect “consequence” of the defendant's conduct.

What is the difference between compensatory damages and consequential damages What are nominal damages and when do courts award nominal damages?

Compensatory damages compensate an injured party for injuries or damages. ... Consequential damages differ from compensatory damages in that they are caused by special circumstances beyond the contract. Nominal damages are awarded to an innocent party when no actual damage has been suffered.

What are examples of consequential damages?

Examples of Consequential Damages.
  • Loss of anticipated profits;
  • Loss of business;
  • Cost of unsuccessful attempts to repair defective goods;
  • Loss of goodwill;
  • Losses resulting from interruption of buyer's production process;
  • Loss of reputation; and.
  • Loss of sales contracts because of delayed products.

What is the difference between special damages and consequential damages?

The distinction between general [or direct] and special [or consequential] damages is not that one is and the other is not the direct and proximate consequence of the breach complained of, but that general [or direct] damages are such as naturally and ordinarily follow the breach, whereas special [or consequential] ...

What is the difference between compensatory damages and liquidated damages?

Compensatory damages are intended to compensate a party for injury sustained or make good or replace a loss caused by a wrong. ... Liquidated damages are those specified in a contract in the event of a breach.

Contract Law Remedies for Breach: Damages (Compensatory, Incidental, Consequential)

28 related questions found

What is the difference between consequential and liquidated damages?

Compensatory damages compensate for the special loss suffered; consequential damages compensate for the foreseeable consequences of the breach; incidental damages compensate for the costs of keeping any more damages from occurring; nominal damages are awarded if the actual amount cannot be shown or there are no actual ...

Are consequential damages direct damages?

Consequential damages are not direct damages but are damages that necessarily arise from the specific nature of the breach of contract.

Do Compensatory damages include consequential damages?

Consequential damages (also known as special damages) are another form of compensatory damages. Special damages do not flow directly and immediately from the defendant's act, but from some of the consequences of the act.

What is the meaning of consequential damages?

Consequential damages, otherwise known as special damages, are damages that can be proven to have occurred because of the failure of one party to meet a contractual obligation, a breach of contract.

What is the purpose of compensatory damages?

Compensatory damages, like the name suggests, are intended to compensate the injured party for loss or injury. Punitive damages are awarded to punish a wrongdoer.

What are examples of compensatory damages?

Examples of General Compensatory Damages
  • Mental anguish.
  • Disfigurement.
  • Future medical expenses.
  • Future lost wages.
  • Long-term physical pain and suffering.
  • Loss of consortium.
  • Inconvenience.
  • Loss of enjoyment of life.

What is the difference between consequential and incidental damages?

The difference between incidental and consequential damages is the cause of the expense or loss. Incidental damages are the direct result of one party's breach of contract. Consequential damages are more indirect, being incurred not as a result of the breach itself, but due to the end result of the breach.

Why are consequential damages important?

Because the waiver of consequential damages can significantly control the amount of damages for which a contractor is assuming risk and greatly limit the owner's ability to recoup many damages, it is arguably the most important provision in a construction contract.

What are the two types of compensatory damages in insurance quizlet?

The two types of compensatory damages that can arise out of an injury are special damages and general damages. Special damages are awarded to an injured party for tangible losses.

What are the two types of compensatory damages quizlet?

What are compensatory damages and its two types? Compensatory damages are paid to compensate the plaintiff for loss, injury or harm suffered. Compensatory damages in tort are referred to as reliance damages. Compensatory damages in contract are referred to as expectation damages.

How are compensatory damages calculated?

Add up the total replacement cost for your items. Add the other costs and fees that you have incurred in prosecuting the lawsuit, including your attorney fees, postage and filing fees. You can also include other losses for which you are entitled to compensation, such as loss of work or loss of lifestyle.

How do you prove consequential damages?

To recover consequential damages, the claimant must prove they were (1) proximately caused by the breach and (2) were reasonably foreseeable at the time the parties entered into the contract. Determining foreseeability is one challenge, yet the more difficult hurdle is proving the amount.

What are consequential damages in construction?

Consequential damages are damages which flow indirectly from a breach of contract and are typically related to delays in performance and delays in completion of a project. ... Such damages can be huge. In fact, it can represent a bet-the-company risk.

Are reliance damages consequential damages?

The method a court uses to compensate an injured party is referred to as a “remedy.” Damages for breach of contract are based on three interests: expectation, reliance, and restitution. ... Consequential damages are awarded only if the breaching party should have foreseen the consequences when the contract was negotiated.

What is the difference between punitive and compensatory damages?

Compensatory damages are given to the injured victim to help pay for medical expenses and other damages created, while punitive damages are meant to penalize the at-fault party.

What is the difference between direct loss and consequential loss?

In assessing damages for breach of contract: Consequential loss (also known as indirect loss) arises from a special circumstance of the case, not in the usual course of things. ... Direct loss is the natural result of the breach in the usual course of things.

Are lost wages compensatory damages?

California law allows for plaintiffs to recover lost wages in personal injury cases. ... Both lost wages and lost earning capacity are part of the compensatory damages a plaintiff can recover for a defendant's negligence, gross negligence, recklessness, intentional wrongful acts or strict liability.

Is loss of profit a consequential damage?

In California, lost profits may be considered direct damages when the profits are “part and parcel of the contract itself.” Lewis Jorge, 34 Cal. ... More commonly, though, lost profits are considered to be consequential rather than direct damages.

Which is an example of liquidated damages?

A liquidated damages example would be a contractor that failed to complete a construction project on time and is charged daily until the project has been finished.

Are liquidated damages direct damages?

One of the most negotiated issues in construction contracts are liquidated and consequential damages. ... Direct damages are those that flow naturally and necessarily from the breach and compensate for loss that is presumed to have been foreseen or contemplated by the parties because of the breach.