Contract Law

Remedies for Breach Cases

Chaplin v Hicks [1911] 2 KB 786

Key Point

• A person is entitled to recover damages in contract for loss of chance in and of itself without having to prove on a balance of probability they would have been successful if the chance was not denied

Facts

• The defendant (D) was a famous actor and theatre manager who invited women to enter a beauty contest
• The claimant (C) entered the competition and came first in her group, thereby affording her the opportunity to be considered as a finalist
• The letter inviting her to attend the next stage of the contest arrived too late, and as a result, she was denied the opportunity to be considered
• C sought damages for breach of contract
• D contended that the damages were too remote in nature and incapable of assessment due to difficulty to predicting whether C would have won a prize or not had she entered the next stage