In economics, damages are the estimated pecuniary loss attributable to a breach of contract. In contract theory, damages are classified as either expectation damages or reliance damages. Expectation damages are designed to place the injured party in the position they would have been in had the contract been performed, while reliance damages are designed to compensate the injured party for any losses incurred as a result of reliance on the contract.
There are four main steps in computing damages in economics:
1. Identify the economic loss.
2. Determine the cause of the economic loss.
3. Assess the causation between the economic loss and the tortfeasor’s conduct.
4. Place a monetary value on the economic loss.
There are many different ways to compute damages in economics. The most common method is to use the market value of the lost or damaged item. However, this method does have its pros and cons. One of the main pros of using the market value to compute damages is that it is generally the most accurate method. This is because the market value takes into account all of the relevant factors, such as the item’s age, quality, and condition. However, there are also some cons to using the market value to compute damages. One of the biggest cons is that the market value can fluctuate over time. This means that the market value of an item at the time it was lost or damaged may not be the same as the market value at the time the damages are being computed. This can lead to inaccuracies in the damages calculation. Another con of using the market value to compute damages is that it can be difficult to determine the market value of some items. This is especially true for items that are not commonly traded on the market. In these cases, it may be necessary to hire an expert to appraise the item in order to determine its market value. Overall, the market value is the most common method for computing damages in economics. However, it is not perfect and there are some potential drawbacks to using this method.
