If you’ve received a notice of breach of contract sometimes called a demand letter, it means someone believes you’re not living up to your end of a bargain. A breach of contract occurs when one party to a contract doesn’t fulfill any term of a contract, without a lawful excuse. Contract breaches can be troublesome for both small businesses and individuals. Receiving a notice of breach of contract opens up a legal battle that can be stressful, time-consuming, and costly.
Types of Breaches
Breach of contract disputes are very common because they can impact so many different aspects of businesses and there are multiple types of breaches. A breach can be minor or major depending on how crucial the provision that was breached was to the contract as a whole. A breach may also be anticipatory, which means that a party may not actually have breached a contract yet, but acts in such a way as to make the other party believe he intends to breach the contract. The defenses and remedies available for a breach of contract dispute depend on the type of breach that has occurred.
Common examples of breach of contract include a failure to provide goods or services on time or in full, non-payment for goods or services, providing defective goods or services, or breach of warranties of a contract.
How to Respond to a Demand Letter
The best course of action after receiving a notice of breach of contract, or a demand letter, is to contact an experienced attorney knowledgeable about contract disputes. Contract disputes can be complex and attempting to tackle such an endeavor on your own could result in serious negative results. Instead, seek out an attorney who knows the law, knows the local court rules, and knows the best way to respond to such letters to allow for the highest possibility of success.
It’s best to contact an attorney as soon as possible to ensure no deadlines are missed and to figure out what needs to be done right from the beginning. An attorney will need to review the contract itself, as well as other documentation and correspondence with the other parties. It’s important to provide as much truthful information as possible to ensure that the attorney is working with all of the facts when determining the best legal strategy.
Call General Counsel PC Today
If you have been accused of breach of contract and live or work in the Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington, Prince William, or anywhere in Virginia, attorneys at General Counsel PC can provide you with the knowledge and assistance necessary to determine the next steps in preserving your legal rights. Our attorneys are specialized in labor and employment law, business law, and litigation and have the experience necessary to help you through these legal hurdles. Knowing your rights and options can help ease some of the burden of dealing with breach of contract disputes. Call General Counsel PC at 703-436-9838 today to see how we can help you.