Assume that an oil company is being sued for an oil spill that occurred at sea. The company denies any wrong$-$doing, but a class$-$action suit against the company has been initiated by several parties. The outcome of the case is currently unknown. The potential future cost of cleaning up this oil spill $($if any$)$ would be referred to as a $($an$)$:

Select one:

a$.$ hidden cost.

b$.$ contingency cost.

c$.$ intangible cost.

d$.$ intangible cost.