Court Opinion

ID: 9781582
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-30 16:52:45.822941+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:34:28.273872
License: Public Domain

Justice HEARN.
Respectfully, I concur in part and dissent in part. I agree with the majority that the circuit court erroneously granted summary judgment as to FACES’ duty of loyalty claim because Tripón did not move for summary judgment on it. I further agree that Tripon’s failure to return to Romania can constitute a breach of contract, the so-called covenant not to compete does not fit this Court’s definition of one, and the liquidated damages provision in the contract is unenforceable. However, in my opinion FACES’ claim for actual damages is too speculative and cannot withstand summary judgment. I would therefore affirm the circuit court’s dismissal of FACES’ breach of contract claim.3
FACES’ claim for damages falls into two groups. The first is what FACES terms its “lost investment” in Tripón, which it measures by the expenditures it incurred in bringing her to the United States, providing her benefits, training and certifying her, and other related costs. However, those are all sunk *207costs that FACES would have expended regardless of whether Tripón left the country as planned or remained. Thus, they were not caused by her alleged breach of the contract and are not recoverable. See Branche Builders, Inc. v. Coggins, 386 S.C. 43, 48, 686 S.E.2d 200, 202 (Ct.App.2009) (stating a plaintiff must prove the breach caused damages).
The second group of damages is loss of goodwill and future profits stemming from FACES’ tarnished reputation and potential decertification due to teachers refusing to leave the country as they originally agreed to do. The amount of lost profits or diminution in goodwill must be at least reasonably certain. See Sterling Dev. Co. v. Collins, 309 S.C. 237, 242, 421 S.E.2d 402, 405 (1992) (“In claiming lost profits, the degree of proof required is that of reasonable certainty.”); Restatement (Second) of Contracts § 352 cmt. a (1981) (“Damages need not be calculable with mathematical accuracy and are often at best approximate. This is especially true for items such as loss of good will as to which great precision cannot be expected.”). “The proof must pass the realm of conjecture, speculation or opinion not founded on facts, and must consist of actual facts from which a reasonably accurate conclusion regarding the cause and the amount of the loss can be logically and rationally drawn.” Sterling Dev. Co., 309 S.C. at 242, 421 S.E.2d at 405. All that is necessary is “a certain standard or fixed method” to estimate losses “with a fair degree of accuracy.” Collins Holding Corp. v. Landrum, 360 S.C. 346, 350, 601 S.E.2d 332, 334 (2004) (quoting S.C. Fin. Corp. of Anderson v. W. Side Fin. Co., 236 S.C. 109, 123, 113 S.E.2d 329, 336 (I960)).
From my review of the record, FACES’ claim for damages is too speculative even when viewed in the light most favorable to it. Because proving lost profits and loss of goodwill can be difficult, only reasonable certainty, as opposed to mathematical precision, is required. Here, however, FACES has provided nothing but bald assertions and conjecture, with no real factual support, that it will be damaged in the future as a result of Tripon’s actions. Indeed, it is exceedingly difficult to fathom, absent pure speculation, how FACES was actually and monetarily damaged by Tripon’s failure to return to her own country. In my view, allowing this case to proceed to trial will place a jury in the impossible position of assessing *208damages where none can even be articulated, let alone proven. Accordingly, I do not believe the information contained in the record is sufficient to withstand summary judgment and would affirm the circuit court’s dismissal of FACES’ breach of contract claim.
KITTREDGE, J., concurs.

. I recognize that the circuit court’s order did not address FACES' actual damages. However, FACES requested the court consider actual damages in its Rule 59(e), SCRCP, motion and raised this issue elsewhere as well. This issue therefore appears in the record and I would affirm the circuit court on that basis. See Rule 220(c), SCACR. FACES at no point argues summary judgment was premature, and the majority therefore errs in reversing on this ground.