Legal Specs

Definition 1

torts. Special damages are such as are in fact
sustained, and are not implied by law, these are either superadded to
general damages, arising from an act injurious in itself, as when some
particular loss arises. from the uttering of slanderous words, actionable
in themselves, or are such as arise from an act indifferent and not
actionable in itself, but injurious only in its consequences, as when the
words become actionable only by reason of special damage ensuing. To
constitute special damage the legal and natural consequence must arise from
the tort, and not be a mere wrongful act of a third person, or a remote
consequence. 1 Camp. 58, Ham. N. P. 40, 1 Chit. Pl. 385, 6.

Definition 2

pleading. As distinguished from the gist of the
action,
signify that special damage which is stated to result from the gist, as, if
a plaintiff in an action of trespass for breaking his close, entering his
house, and tossing his goods about, were to state that by means of the
damage done to his house, he was obliged to seek lodging elsewhere.

2. Sometimes the special damage is said to constitute the gist of the
action itself, for example, in an action wherein the plaintiff declares for
slanderous words, which of themselves are not a sufficient ground or
foundation for the suit, if any particular damage result to the plaintiff
from the speaking of them, that damage is properly said to be the gist of
the action.

3. But whether special damage be the gist of the action, or only
collatercal to it, it must be particularly stated in the declaration, as
the plaintiff will not otherwise be permitted to go into evidence of it at
the trial, because the defendant cannot also be prepared to answer it.
Willes, 23. See Gist.