Contents. Table of Statutes. Table of Secondary Legislation. Table of Cases. General Principles of Liability

Transcription

1 Contents Table of Statutes Table of Secondary Legislation Table of Cases Chapter 1: General Principles of Liability 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Interests protected 1.3 The mental element in tort Malice Intention Negligence Strict liability 1.4 Objectives of tort Deterrence Compensation 1.5 Tort and crime 1.6 Tort and contract 1.7 Parties Introduction Special categories Sovereign immunity Administration of justice Artificial legal persons Minors Joint and several liability 1.8 The Human Rights Act A right to privacy or to protection of private information? 1.9 Summary Chapter 2: Negligence: The Duty of Care General Principles and Public Policy 2.1 Introduction 2.2 The way to Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] and the neighbour principle From Donoghue to Anns v Merton LBC [1978] 2.3 The two tests in Caparo v Dickman [1990] The incremental test The three-stage test: foreseeability, proximity, and fairness, justice and reasonableness Which test to apply? Foreseeability and proximity Fair, just and reasonable policy considerations 2.4 Complex duty cases involving policy considerations The lawyer as advocate Police activities Rescue services Public bodies acting under statutory powers Liability for omissions Liability for the acts of third parties i

2 2.4.7 Liability for failure to warn of risks of medical treatment 2.5 The influence of the Human Rights Act Summary Chapter 3: Negligence: The Duty of Care Psychiatric Damage 3.1 Introduction 3.2 The principles developed through the cases Fear for one s own safety Fear for the safety of others Fellow workers and rescuers Foreseeability of harm Shock Immediate aftermath 3.3 Primary and secondary victims 3.4 Summary Chapter 4: Negligence: Pure Economic Loss 4.1 Introduction 4.2 The general rule of non-recovery The general rule applied: negligence in the construction of a building and consequential economic loss The general rule applied: defective goods and consequential economic loss 4.3 Negligent misstatement and the assumption of responsibility of economic loss The assumption of responsibility test applied Must the defendant possess a special skill? Must the claimant have reasonably relied on the defendant s advice? Are there cases in which reliance is not necessary? 4.4 Summary Chapter 5: Negligence: Breach of Duty 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Reasonable person test 5.3 Factors determining the standard of care The degree of probability that damage will occur The magnitude of likely harm The importance of the objective to be achieved The burden of taking precautions against the risk Conformity with accepted practice Special skill 5.4 Proof of negligence 5.5 Res ipsa loquitur 5.6 Summary ii

3 Chapter 6: Negligence: Causation and Remoteness of Damage 6.1 Introduction 6.2 The but for test 6.3 Multiple causes 6.4 Loss of chance 6.5 Multiple successive causes 6.6 Novus actus interveniens 6.7 Remoteness of damage Re Polemis The Wagon Mound Extent of the harm suffered The thin skull rule 6.8 Remoteness: some other torts 6.9 Policy issues 6.10 Summary Chapter 7: Defences 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Contributory negligence The common law approach The statutory regime Fault of the claimant Causation Apportionment 7.3 Volenti non fit injuria Agreement Knowledge Voluntariness 7.4 The relationship between contributory negligence and volenti A comparison The rescue cases 7.5 Ex turpi causa non oritur actio 7.6 Summary Chapter 8: Defective Premises Occupiers Liability 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Scope of the Occupiers Liability Act Occupiers 8.4 Visitors 8.5 Common duty of care 8.6 Children 8.7 Common calling 8.8 Warnings 8.9 Independent contractors 8.10 Volenti and contributory negligence 8.11 Exclusion iii

4 8.12 The Occupiers Liability Act Historical background The provisions of the Occupiers Liability Act 1984 general Conditions for the duty to arise Content of the duty Defences and exclusion of liability 8.13 Summary Chapter 9: Employers Liability Personal and Vicarious 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Who is an employee? Relationships akin to employment 9.3 Employer s personal duty of care Duty to take reasonable care for the safety of employees Duty to employee s family? Duty does not extend to pure economic loss Duty in relation to work stress Competent staff Plant and appliances Premises Safe system of work 9.4 Breach, causation and remoteness 9.5 Defences 9.6 Vicarious liability introduction Course of employment 9.7 Employer and independent contractor 9.8 Principal and agent 9.9 Summary Chapter 10: Trespass and Related Torts 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Common features of trespass to the person actions 10.3 Battery 10.4 Assault 10.5 Defences to assault and battery Consent Patient autonomy versus medical paternalism Conflicting interests Impact of the Human Rights Act Self-defence or defence of others Defence of property Necessity 10.6 False imprisonment Restraint must be total Imprisonment without knowledge Failure to release a person Legally justifiable detention Arrest Custodial sentences 10.7 The rule in Wilkinson v Downton 10.8 Trespass to land Introduction iv

5 Trespass by wrongful entry Trespass by remaining on land Trespass by placing objects on land Possession Defences Remedies 10.9 Wrongful interference with chattels Introduction Trespass to goods Conversion Finders Jus tertii Remedies Summary Chapter 11: Nuisance and Rylands v Fletcher 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Statutory nuisance 11.3 Public nuisance 11.4 Private nuisance 11.5 Private nuisance: parties Claimants Defendants Occupier Creator of the nuisance Landlord 11.6 Damage 11.7 The reasonableness requirement Where nuisance causes physical damage Where nuisance causes interference with comfort and convenience Locality Duration of the interference Defendant s malicious response to claimant s behaviour The public utility argument 11.8 Defences Sensitivity of the claimant or claimant s property The common enemy rule Contributory negligence, consent and prescription Statutory authority Public interest Coming to the nuisance is not a defence 11.9 Nuisance and fault Remedies The rule in Rylands v Fletcher introduction Parties Requirements of the rule The thing must be likely to do mischief if it escapes There must be an accumulation The use of the land must be non-natural There must be an escape Damage must be proved Remoteness of damage v

6 Chapter 12: Defamation Chapter 13: Remedies Defences Consent of the claimant Common benefit Act of a stranger Unusual natural events Statutory authority Summary 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Damage and damages 12.3 The requirements of a claim in defamation Libel and slander 12.4 Defamatory meaning Right-thinking members of society True and false innuendo 12.5 Reference to the claimant 12.6 Publication 12.7 Defences Assent to publication Innocent dissemination Offer to make amends ss2 4 Defamation Act Truth Absolute privilege Qualified privilege Statutory and common law qualified privilege Common law qualified privilege Public interest Malice Honest opinion 12.8 Operators of websites 12.9 Remedies The Defamation Act Summary 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Types of damages Non-compensatory damages Compensatory damages 13.3 Non-pecuniary loss 13.4 Pecuniary loss Loss of earnings The lost years Future medical care and attention Deductions Interest on damages for personal injury 13.5 Death Dependants Financial dependence Pure economic loss Bereavement vi

7 One action only 13.6 Provisional damages 13.7 Periodical payments 13.8 Damage to property consequential economic loss 13.9 Injunctions Miscellaneous other remedies Summary Answers to Self-assessment Questions Index vii

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