There are four standard elements required to establish a claim for breach of contract in California: (i) the existence of a valid contract, (ii) the plaintiff's performance or excuse for nonperformance, (iii) the defendant's breach of contract, and (iv) resulting damages.
For a breach of contract, a Letter of Claim will be sent, which includes the background of the matter, details of the agreement, the breach of the express and implied terms of the contract, the losses, and proposed resolution.
Determining what constitutes a breach involves identifying key elements: the presence of a valid contract, a clear breach of its terms, and resultant damages. Legal professionals need to confirm these fundamental aspects before moving forward. Initiating a claim starts with issuing a formal letter before action.
Statement of Claim State how each defendant was involved and what each defendant did that caused the plaintiff harm or violated the plaintiff's rights, including the dates and places of that involvement or conduct.
You cannot bring a breach of contract claim merely because the other party has failed to perform; you must have suffered loss as a result. The type of loss you have incurred must have been a foreseeable consequence of the subsequent breach at the time you made the contract. You are under a duty to mitigate any loss.
A breach of contract notice needs to explain the nature of the breach and clearly state what action is required. This can usually be done with a one-page letter. Explaining the nature of the breach involves stating what requirement of the contract has not been fulfilled.
Statement of Claim State how each defendant was involved and what each defendant did that caused the plaintiff harm or violated the plaintiff's rights, including the dates and places of that involvement or conduct.
Once the plaintiff proves that a valid contract existed, they must show that they upheld their part. After that, the plaintiff must show that the defendant did not fulfill their obligations. And finally there must be evidence of actual damages that the plaintiff suffered as a result.