Damnum Sine Injuria, Injuria Sine Damnum

A new biryani place opens opposite your uncle's old restaurant in Vashi and half his customers walk across the road. He has lost lakhs, but no court will give him a rupee. On another day, a polling officer wrongly turns you away at the booth and you lose nothing except your vote; a court can award you damages. Loss without a remedy, and a remedy without loss. The two Latin phrases in this topic explain why.

In two minutes

Damnum sine injuria is actual loss without violation of a legal right, and gives no claim; injuria sine damno is violation of a legal right without actual loss, and is actionable on its own.

The rest of this chapter

The full explanation, the cheat sheet, every previous-year question at every mark weight, the quiz and the answer skeletons are part of Law of Torts, Motor Accident Claims and Consumer Protection on LexBlox Semester. Sign in to unlock the subject, or read Module 1 of Legal Language and Writing free.