What remedy is available if a contract is breached?

Asked by: Ms. Alta Willms V  |  Last update: March 13, 2025
Score: 4.2/5 (7 votes)

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.

What is the legal remedy for a breach of contract?

Compensatory damages are the most common remedy for breached contracts. These damages aim to compensate the non-breaching party for the financial losses they suffered due to the breach.

What are the remedies for breach of contract?

Remedies for Breach of Contract
  • 1] Recession of Contract. When one of the parties to a contract does not fulfil his obligations, then the other party can rescind the contract and refuse the performance of his obligations. ...
  • 2] Sue for Damages. ...
  • 3] Sue for Specific Performance. ...
  • 4] Injunction. ...
  • 5] Quantum Meruit.

Which of the following are remedies for breach of contract?

Types of legal remedies for breach of contract
  • Compensatory damages. Compensatory damages are a popular breach-of-contract remedy, aiming to cover the loss the injured party suffered due to the breach. ...
  • Liquidated damages. ...
  • Specific performance. ...
  • Punitive damages. ...
  • Nominal damages.

How do you resolve a breach of contract?

For a breach of contract, the legal remedies available include compensatory damages, specific performance, rescission, and liquidated damages. It is crucial to ascertain which remedy best addresses the specific circumstances of the breach.

What is the Remedy if Someone Breaches Your Contract?

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How to settle a breach of contract?

Often this involves negotiating simple agreements between the parties which identify the issues leading to a breach of contract, the impact of these issues and the steps the parties agree to take to resolve the issues at hand and complete the relationship or transaction or provide fair compensation for what has ...

What are equitable remedies for breach of contract?

The most frequent equitable remedies available for breach of contract are contract reformation, specific performance of a contract, and rescission of a contract.

What is the damages remedy for breach of contract?

The most common remedy is damages, where the court determines the damage that the breach of contract caused, and directs the party who breached the contract to pay a sum of money. In some circumstances, the court will make an order for specific performance.

What actions can be taken for breach of contract?

There are three different courses of action available to the court. Firstly, damages may be awarded to put the claimant in the position they should have been in, had the contract terms been carried out correctly. Secondly, where the breach is repudiatory, the contract can be terminated. Damages may also be payable.

How much can you sue for breach of contract?

In a breach of contract case, damages typically cannot exceed four times the actual losses. However, the exact amount depends on the specifics of your case. Consult with a lawyer to determine the potential damages you may recover.

How do you recover from a breach of contract?

A party breaching a contract is liable for “losses that are the natural and probable consequence of the defendant's breach of the contract.” In general, this means that the plaintiff can recover the amount of damages necessary to put them in the position they thought would have been in had the contract been performed.

What is the most common type of damages awarded by a court?

Additionally, compensatory damages are much more common than punitive damages. Compensatory damages can be awarded in a wide range of personal injury claims caused by the negligence of another party or entity. Some common accidents include: Car crashes.

What are the remedies for breach of agency contract?

An agency agreement is a legal contract creating a fiduciary relationship whereby the first party ("the principal") agrees that the actions of a second party ("the agent") binds the principal to later agreements made by the agent as if the principal had himself personally made the later agreements.

What are the remedies for the breach of contract?

In short, the potential remedies for a breach of contract claim can include compensatory damages, specific performance, injunction, rescission, liquidated damages, and nominal damages.

Is it worth suing for breach of contract?

The Value of the Contract: Consider whether the breach resulted in substantial financial or other losses. If the damages are minimal, the costs of litigation may outweigh the potential recovery. For example, suing over a minor inconvenience or slight delay may not be worth the effort.

Can you get compensation for breach of contract?

Material breach of contract

Following a material breach, the innocent party may seek legal help to resolve the issue. Legal remedies may include suing for damages and, in some cases, terminating the contract. Open discussions and mediation can help both parties to resolve the situation before it escalates.

What is the most typical remedy available for a breach of contract?

Compensatory Damages

The most common remedy for breach of contract is monetary damages. Parties to a contract are legally entitled to receive damages for their losses resulting from the breach.

Is breach of contract hard to prove?

The short answer is yes. Breaches of oral contracts are harder to prove, but the contracts are absolutely enforceable. Breach of oral contract elements are the same as for written contracts. The hardest part of proving a breach of contract for an oral agreement is proving that the contract existed and was valid.

What damages are available 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. If you are dealing with a potential breach of contract, you probably need legal advice on what you should do next.

What is the remedy for breach of contract?

If the other party breaches a condition of the contract, you may be able to 'repudiate' the contract to terminate it and claim damages for your loss - or to 'affirm' the contract and claim damages. When the breach of contract is the breach of a warranty in the contract, the restitution is by damages alone.

What to do when a contract has been breached?

Generally, you will want to request money damages for the losses incurred as a result of the breach, and you should always have a skilled contract dispute attorney carefully calculate the value of these losses.

What is equitable relief for breach of contract?

An equitable remedy is a contract remedy that restores the parties to the same position they would have been in if no breach of contract occurred. It is also called a "just" or "equitable" remedy. The most common equitable remedies are money damages, specific performance, and rescission.

What remedies are available in a lawsuit for breach of contract?

For breach of contract cases, there are several different types of monetary compensation remedies:
  • Compensatory Damages. This is the most common breach of contract remedy. ...
  • Restitution. ...
  • Punitive Damages. ...
  • Nominal Damages. ...
  • Liquidated Damages. ...
  • Quantum Meruit.

How to win a breach of contract case?

You may be sure you have an air-tight case, and you may be right, but a winning breach of contract lawsuit has four factors.
  1. Factor #1: A Well Written Contract. ...
  2. Factor #2: A Clear and Obvious Breach. ...
  3. Factor #3: Substantial and Identifiable Damages. ...
  4. Factor #4: A Defendant with Deep Pockets.

Is cancellation a remedy for breach of contract?

Cancellation as a remedy for breach of contract is only available where the parties have incorporated a right to cancel in their contract, or where the breach is of a sufficiently serious nature to justify cancellation.