McInnes/Kerr/VanDuzer: Managing the Law: The Legal Aspects of Doing Business, Fourth Edition
Chapter 12: Contractual Remedies
15) On June 1, Lauto Inc contractually agreed to buy a Pupmobile LX from Dos Motors
Ltd for $25 000. Payment of the price and delivery of an appropriate vehicle were
scheduled to occur on July 15. On July 1, however, Dos informed Lauto that it had
carelessly crushed its only Pupmobile LX with an industrial-sized garbage bin. Dos
apologized profusely and explained that it did not have another one in stock. It also
informed Lauto that, because a Pupmobile LX had recently appeared in a highly successful
movie, such cars were in great demand. “If you still want one,” said the manager at Dos,
“you had better act quickly. I’ll expect that they will start to go up in value very quickly.”
Between July 1 and July 10, Lauto could have agreed to purchase a Pupmobile LX from
another dealer for $30 000. Nevertheless, Lauto waited until July 11 before buying a
Pupmobile LX from Tertius Motors Ltd for $35 000. By July 15, the market value of such
vehicles had increased to $40 000. A court would probably order Dos to pay Lauto
a. $15 000.
b. $10 000.
c. $25 000.
d. $5000.
e. $30 000.
16) Dave was contractually required to deliver a widget to Pam by July 1. He failed to do
so. At that point, Pam predicted that she would suffer a loss of $100 000 during the next six
months because her factory cannot operate efficiently without a widget. Which of the
following statements is TRUE?
a. Because she is under a duty to mitigate, Pam cannot receive any damages unless she
purchases a widget from another supplier.
b. Because she is under a duty to mitigate, Pam must do everything possible to acquire a
widget from another supplier.
c. Because he is under a duty to mitigate, Dave will be held liable for $100 000 unless he
takes reasonable steps to help Pam purchase a widget from another supplier.
d. Because Dave is under a duty to mitigate, the damages that he must pay will be reduced
to the extent that he reasonably spends money trying to help Pam purchase a widget from
another supplier.