Assignment 1
Semester 2 2024
QUESTION 1
The key premise in calculating the amount of an enrichment claim is that the plaintiff
might request either the smaller amount of their own loss or the smaller amount of the
defendant's gain. This guarantees that the accused party is not held responsible for
an amount more than the value they have gained, and it prohibits them from unfairly
profiting above the amount the plaintiff has lost.
The quantum of the enrichment claim is usually evaluated when the claim is initiated.
The time is critical since the defendant's responsibility is determined by the amount of
enrichment they possess at that certain moment. If the defendant's gain has
diminished or disappeared prior to the initiation of the lawsuit, their responsibility is
accordingly diminished or eliminated. The burden of proving non-enrichment is with
the defendant.
There will be four cases when the quantum will be determined earlier, namely before
the action is initiated:
a. Upon the defendant's realization of enrichment;
b. At a prior stage, if the defendant had a reasonable awareness that the benefit
was not warranted;
c. when the defendant fell into mora; and
d. an earlier date if the defendant acted mala fide.