General damages refer to the legal term that defines compensation provided to a plaintiff in a legal action to account for loss or injury that cannot be quantified with monetary value.

In contract law, general damages are awarded to compensate a plaintiff for the loss suffered as a direct result of a breach of contract. General damages in contract law may include loss of profit, emotional distress, or other types of harm caused by the breach.

General damages are typically distinguished from special damages, which are damages that are directly quantifiable and have a specific monetary value. Special damages in contract law may include the cost of repairing a broken contract or the cost of replacing a defective product.

In order to be awarded general damages in a contract law case, the plaintiff must establish that they suffered an actual loss as a direct result of the breach of contract. This can be done through a variety of means, including presenting evidence of lost profits, missed opportunities, or increased costs due to the breach of contract.

It is important to note that general damages in contract law are typically limited to the actual loss suffered by the plaintiff. This means that a plaintiff cannot recover damages for speculative or hypothetical losses, or for losses that could have been prevented through reasonable measures.

In addition to general and special damages, contract law also recognizes punitive damages. Punitive damages may be awarded in cases where the defendant’s conduct was particularly egregious or malicious. Punitive damages are intended to punish the defendant for their wrongdoing, rather than compensate the plaintiff for their loss.

Overall, general damages are an important element of contract law that provide plaintiffs with compensation for losses that cannot be directly quantified. As a professional, it is important to understand the legal terminology and concepts related to contract law to ensure that your content is accurate and informative.