Is a Breach of Contract a Tort?

Today, we delve into a frequently debated topic that confuses people trying to understand the complexities of law: Is a breach of contract a tort? Understanding a breach of contract and what a tort is can be difficult, but this blog will help clarify things.

A breach of contract happens when one side doesn’t do what was agreed to, resulting in harm to the other side. A tort happens when one side causes harm to the other side’s body, property, or reputation.

Tip: Learn more about the 4 Legal Elements of a Breach of Contract Case.

Suppose someone breaks an agreement and harms the other side’s body, property, or reputation. In that case, the situation can be both a breach of contract and a tort. In simpler terms, it means that if someone breaks a promise and physically harms you, damages your property, or ruins your reputation, you can consider it both a contract violation and legal wrongdoing.

A claim is an assertion to the court that someone violated a legal rule. An essential difference between a breach of contract and a tort claim is the kind of damages a court will award. In a tort claim, the court will give you money to cover the harm they have suffered as a result of the tortious conduct done. These may include compensatory, punitive, and nominal damages.

In a contract claim, the court will only give you money to cover the promise the other party did not keep. The injured party typically finds themselves in the same position as intended under the contract because a breach of contract usually causes damages. These may include compensatory, consequential, and liquidated damages.

Since breach of contract and tort rules can apply to some incidents, individuals can pursue both claims simultaneously in court.

For example, suppose the breach of contract involves fraud or misrepresentation. In that case, one can pursue a tort claim of deceit or fraud if the breach of contract involves the intentional infliction of harm or damages, a tort claim of intentional interference with contractual relations.

In summary, breach of contracts and torts are two distinct legal rules requiring corresponding proof. Whether an incident that satisfies the breach of contract legal rule requirements also meets the tort legal rule requirements will depend on the specific facts and circumstances of the case.

If you believe someone has breached a contract with you, take the first step to claim what you deserve by sending them a letter of demand. While lawyers charge hundreds of dollars for this, you can do it for free with JusticeDirect!