Broken Promises, Real Costs: How to Pursue Damages After a Breach of Contract in Indiana

I didn’t expect a broken promise to ripple through every part of my life. When the contract I relied on fell apart, so did my plans. Cash flow got tight, deadlines slipped, and I found myself explaining to my team, my customers, even my family, why things suddenly felt uncertain. If you’re here, you probably know that feeling: the knot in your stomach, the late-night math, the worry that you’ll never be made whole.

What I’ve learned is this: “damages” after a breach of contract aren’t abstract legal words. They’re the story of what I lost and what it will take to put me back where I should have been. It starts with the deal itself: what we agreed to, what the other side failed to do, and how that failure cost me. Some losses are obvious. Missed payments, replacement costs, rush shipping, overtime. Others hide in the details. Lost opportunities, derailed timelines, and the margins that evaporated when I had to scramble for a Plan B.

I also realized I have a role in the outcome. I need to gather proof. Emails, invoices, the contract, project timelines, and a clean, honest paper trail that shows the difference between the world I planned for and the one I got. I have to show the numbers with clarity and not just frustration. And yes, I have to be reasonable: if there’s a way to reduce the harm (finding a substitute supplier, mitigating delays), I’m expected to take it. Fair or not, the strength of my claim often lives in the groundwork I do now.

What helped me most was reframing the question from “Will I win?” to “What will it take to be made whole?” Sometimes that means the value of what I was promised (lost profits or the cost to fix defective work). Sometimes it’s the extra expenses the breach forced on me (incidental costs). Occasionally there’s a built-in number if the contract has a fair, enforceable liquidated-damages clause. Sometimes the right answer isn’t money at all, it’s getting the other side to finally do what they promised or unwinding the mess in a way that protects my business going forward.

Here’s the truth: I can’t control the other side’s choices, but I can control my response. I can get clear on the facts, the math, and the strategy that gives me leverage, whether that’s negotiating a settlement or pursuing a formal remedy with counsel who understands how to turn a broken promise into a plan.

If this is where you are, anxious, determined, ready to move, let’s talk about your next step. Our consultations are for general information only, but they’ll give you a practical roadmap: what to gather, what options you may have, and how to protect your business while this gets sorted out. If you decide to proceed with representation, we will get you taken care of. 

Ready to regain control? Book a consultation today!