Template:Loss v damages: Difference between revisions

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:“'''Direct'''” losses, that are the natural and foreseeable consequence of breach of contract.
:“'''Direct'''” losses, that are the natural and foreseeable consequence of breach of contract.
:“'''Indirect'''” or “'''consequential'''” losses, which are a more speculative nature.
:“'''Indirect'''” or “'''consequential'''” losses, which are a more speculative nature.
:“'''[[Account for profit]]'''”, which is an order than a wrongdoer hands over actual profits from a breach of duty to a property owner. These are available in trust and agency scenarios, and for misuse of physical or intellectual property, but are ''not'' a remedy for breach of contract.
Note that “'''[[loss of profit]]'''” and “'''[[loss of opportunity]]'''” are not judicially recognised categories of loss: they can be either ''direct'' — for example, foregone [[interest]] on a defaulted payment — or ''indirect'' — the winnings you would have got from putting that defaulted payment on a rank outsider who came good in the 2:35 at Kempton — but if in doubt (i.e., not a natural consequence of the breach) assume they will be indirect
Note that “'''[[loss of profit]]'''” and “'''[[loss of opportunity]]'''” are not judicially recognised categories of loss: they can be either ''direct'' — for example, foregone [[interest]] on a defaulted payment — or ''indirect'' — the winnings you would have got from putting that defaulted payment on a rank outsider who came good in the 2:35 at Kempton — but if in doubt (i.e., not a natural consequence of the breach) assume they will be indirect


'''[[Damages]]''' are the amounts a court orders a naughty counterparty to pay to an innocent one as ''compensation'' for its loss. They may, or may not, be the same amount as the actual losses suffered. Damages may be:
'''[[Damages]]''' are the amounts a court orders a naughty counterparty to pay to an innocent to ''compensate'' for its loss of bargain (in a contract) or ''atone for its wrongdoing'' (in a [[tort]] or [[breach of trust]]). They may, or may not, be the same amount as the actual losses suffered:


:“'''[[General damages|General]]'''” damages, if they compensate for [[direct loss|direct losses]].  
:“'''[[General damages|General]]'''” damages compensate for [[direct loss|direct losses]].  
:“'''[[Special damages|Special]]'''” damages, if they relate to [[indirect loss|indirect losses]]. Awards of [[special damages]] are rare in contract cases, even when they are not specifically excluded by contract which, in the world of finance, they usually are.
:“'''[[Special damages|Special]]'''” damages relate to [[indirect loss|indirect losses]]. They are rare in contracts, even when not specifically excluded which, in finance contracts, they usually will be.
:[[Exemplary damages|“'''Punitive'''” or “'''exemplary'''”]] damages, that do not compenstate for loss at all, but rather punish a wrongdoer for outrageous behaviour. These are not available under English law for breach of contract, but may be awarded — extremely rarely — in cases of tort, or breach of [[trust]].  
:[[Exemplary damages|“'''Punitive'''” or “'''exemplary'''”]] damages do not compenstate for loss at all, but rather punish a wrongdoer for outrageous behaviour. These are not available under English contract law but may be awarded — extremely rarely — in tort or for breach of [[trust]].
:There is also an “'''[[Account for profit]]'''”: an order to hand over profits made through the misuse of someone else’s physical or intellectual property. This remedy is ''not'' available for a simple breach of contract.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Losses and remedies, charted
|+ Grievances and remedies, charted
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! Loss !! Remedy
! Grievance !! Remedy || Contract || Tort || Fiduciary
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| [[Direct loss]] || [[Contractual damages|General damages]]  
| [[Direct loss]] || [[Contractual damages|General damages]] || Yes || Yes ||Yes
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| [[Consequential loss|Indirect/consequential loss]]|| [[Special damages]]  
| [[Consequential loss|Indirect/consequential loss]]|| [[Special damages]] || Usually No || Usually No||Usually No
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| No actual loss, but [[egregious wrongdoing]] all the same|| [[Exemplary damages|Exemplary/punitive damages]] (potentially available in tort and breach of fiduciary duty; not in contract)
| [[Egregious wrongdoing]] || [[Exemplary damages|Exemplary/punitive damages]] || No|| Yes ||Possibly
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|[[Breach of trust]] or [[misuse of property]]|| [[Contractual damages|General damages]] ''and'' [[account for profit]]
|Profiting at owner’s expense|| [[Account for profit]] ||No ||Yes || Yes
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|}