Law A-Level
The Compensatory Principle
What The Compensatory Principle means in Law A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definitions of The Compensatory Principle
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
The fundamental objective of 'restitutio in integrum', aiming to place the claimant in the position they would have occupied had the contract been performed or the tort not committed.
The primary function of damages in civil law is to compensate for actual loss rather than to punish the defendant, distinguishing civil remedies from criminal sanctions.
Topics that use The Compensatory Principle
- Law of contract (AQA A-Level)
- Tort (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- Equitable Discretion
- Allurement
- Assumption of Responsibility
- Breach of Duty
- Causation and Remoteness
- Close Connection
- Control Test
- Duty of Care
Using The Compensatory Principle in the exam
Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.
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