Suit for damages
A damage award is money ordered to be paid as
compensation for the injury or loss. They are a monetary
compensation allowed to the injured party for the loss or
injury suffered by him as a result of the breach of
contract.
The fundamental principle underlying damages is not
punishment but to compensate the aggrieved party for
the loss suffered by him in the original position as he
would have been.
At common law, damages are categorized into two:
Compensatory (or actual) damages, and Punitive
damages.
Compensatory damages are further categorized into
special damages, which are economic losses such as loss
of earnings, property damage and medical expenses, and
general damages, which are noneconomic damages such
as pain and suffering and emotional distress.
Punitive damages are often awarded where compulsory
damages are deemed an inadequate remedy.
Rules regarding damages
1.The damages must naturally arise in the usual course
of things from such breach i.e. the damages must be
the proximate or direct consequence of the breach
of contract.
2.The aggrieved party must have suffered damages by
breach of contract.
3.Damages are awarded to compensate the loss
caused by a party but not to punish the party at
default for the breach of contract.
4.Amount of damages can be decided at the time of
agreement by the mutual consent of both the
parties.
Kinds of damages
General or ordinary damages
Special damages
Natural or consequential
Remote damages
Nominal damages
exemplary or punitive damages
prospective damages.