What might negate a party's ability to recover damages despite substantial performance?

The choice that accurately addresses what might negate a party's ability to recover damages despite substantial performance is material breach of contract. In contract law, substantial performance allows a party to claim for damages even if they did not completely fulfill their contractual obligations. However, if the other party has committed a material breach, this can significantly undermine the contractual relationship and the expectations of performance.

A material breach is a violation of the contract that is so significant that it undermines the entire contract's purpose, allowing the non-breaching party to either terminate the contract or seek damages. If one party materially breaches the contract, the other party may not only have the right to stop their performance but may also lose the ability to recover damages based on their substantial performance.

In comparison, inadvertent mistakes, insufficient evidence of performance, and lack of consideration deal with different aspects of contract law. Inadvertent mistakes relate to unintentional errors and generally do not negate the ability to recover, while insufficient evidence speaks to the burden of proof rather than the validity of a claim. Lack of consideration addresses the issue of whether a contract is enforceable at all, but it does not directly relate to the effects of substantial performance in the context of damages recovery after a breach.