Business Torts
A business tort also known as an economic tort is a civil claim which is not based on a contractual obligation. When a person or entity harms another person or entity in a business relationship, the injured party may seek damages beyond those available in breach of contract actions. We focus on civil claims for tortious interference with a contract, fraud, wrongful conduct, and partner disputes. An injured party may also have claims for civil theft, conspiracy, and unjust enrichment in a business tort action.
Fraud
Fraud also falls under the umbrella of a business tort. Fraudulent misrepresentations, fraudulent transfers, obtaining property by fraud, and motor vehicle repair fraud are all examples of business fraud. Claims for fraudulent misrepresentation usually arise from a contract situation. Parties enter into contracts based upon representations of material facts made by each of party. To be successful in a claim for fraudulent misrepresentation, an injured party must prove that the other party knowingly made a false misrepresentation of a material fact and did so to induce the injured party to enter into the contract, the injured party did not know the misrepresentation was untrue and relied upon the misrepresentation to its detriment, and the injured party suffered harm as a result of such reliance. A court may award compensatory and punitive damages to the injured party in a fraud claim.