Unjust Enrichment

In one sentence

A legal claim when someone gains money or benefit unfairly at another's expense.

Plain English

Unjust enrichment is a remedy you can pursue when someone receives a benefit they shouldn't have—usually your money or property—without paying for it or having a legal right to it. It's not about a broken contract; it's about preventing someone from unfairly profiting from your loss. Courts can order the person to repay you or return the benefit to restore fairness. This doctrine catches situations where no formal agreement exists but one party clearly got something valuable at the other's expense.

Ad slot

Example

A contractor accidentally builds a deck on your neighbor's property instead of yours, significantly raising your neighbor's home value. You can sue for unjust enrichment to recover the cost of that improvement, since your neighbor benefited from work you paid for.

Used in a sentence

“She filed an unjust enrichment claim after discovering the company had used her patented design without permission or payment.”

Related terms

Restitution Damages

Compensation that returns to you the value of a benefit the other party received from you.

Bargained-for Exchange

A mutual agreement where each party gives something of value in return for something from the other.

Fraud

Intentional deception or misrepresentation made to trick someone into entering a contract or deal.

Damages Calculation

The process of determining how much money a harmed party should receive for a breach.

Offer

A proposal to enter into a binding agreement on specific terms.

Acceptance

Agreeing to the exact terms of an offer, creating a binding contract.

Consideration

Something of value exchanged by each party to make a contract binding.

Offeror

The person who makes an offer to enter into a contract.

This page is a plain-English reference and is not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change over time. For specific situations consult a licensed attorney.