You held up your part of the bargain because when you enter into a contract with someone, you do so with the full intention of honoring your agreement. You expect the same from the other party, and rightly so.
However, for whatever reason, the other party failed to fulfill his or her obligations under the contract. Perhaps your efforts to resolve the situation amicably and outside of a courtroom failed to work. Now, you contemplate filing a lawsuit against the other party, but want to know what you can expect in terms of legal remedies.
What to expect if a Pennsylvania court rules in your favor
If you prevail in your lawsuit, you can expect one or more of the following monetary or non-monetary remedies ordered by the court:
- Of course, monetary awards are common. The court orders the other party to pay you a certain amount of money to compensate you for the breach.
- The court could cancel the contract, which means that neither of you remains obligated to fulfill the agreement.
- If you failed to receive payment for work you did up to the point of the breach, the court could order the other party to pay you for that work, but not the whole amount of the contract since you had not yet completed the work outlined in the contract.
- The court could order the other party to pay you back any monies you already paid as your part of the contract.
- You could receive nominal damages if the court rules a breach did occur, but you suffered no harm as a result.
- If the court finds the actions of the other party morally reprehensible, you could receive punitive damages, which are meant as a punishment. These damages are usually above and beyond other monetary relief.
- If what you need is for the other party to fulfill his or her part of the agreement, the court could order him or her to do so under the legal theory of specific performance.
The type of relief you may be entitled to depends on the circumstances of the alleged breach. In order to know what type of legal remedies to expect in your specific case, you may want to consult with an attorney who can review your situation and explain your legal options and possible remedies. Thereafter, you can determine whether litigation would be the appropriate course of action.
