Negligence: Damages, Special Rules for Liability, Vicarious Liability, Joint and Several Liability Flashcards

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1
Q

True or false: Personal injury damages are based solely on recovery for physical damages

A

False. Physical and emotional damages

+ medical expenses (past and future)
+ lost income and reduced earning capacity
+ pain and suffering (past and future)

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2
Q

Must a plaintiff mitigate damages

A

Yes, can be considered a duty. Limitation on recovery.

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3
Q

What is the formula for determining property damages?

A

P recovers the difference in market value before and after injury

OR

Cost of repair or replacement value

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4
Q

Explain the collateral source rule

A

Benefits or payments to P from outside sources are not credit against liability for a tortfeasor. Evidence of such payments are not admissible at trial.

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5
Q

Define punitive damages

A

Punishing and deter future conduct, on top of compensatory damages to make the plaintiff whole

+ Depends on the D’s conduct
+ Statutory and constitutional limitations (single digit ratio of any compensatory damages)

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6
Q

When can a plaintiff recover for NIED?

A

NIED = emotional injury absent physical injury due to D’s negligent conduct

Within zone of danger of threatened physical impact

That threat caused emotional distress

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7
Q

When can a bystander recover for NIED?

A
  1. closely related to person injured (relational)
  2. present at the scene of injury (geographic)
  3. personally observe (temporal)
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8
Q

To succeed in a NIED claim, most jurisdictions require…?

A

Some sort of physical manifestation

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9
Q

True or false: A plaintiff who suffers only economic losses can recover under negligence

A

False. No recovery for pure economic loss.

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10
Q

Explain the difference between wrongful death and a survival action

A

Wrongful death: decedent’s spouse or representative recovers for losses the spouse/family suffered as a result of D’s negligence

Survival: decedent’s estate seeking damages on behalf of decedent him/herself

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11
Q

True or false: wrongful life suits are generally prohibited

A

True. In the states where allowed, limited to special damages attributed to child’s disabiility

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12
Q

True or false: wrongful birth suits are generally prohibited

A

False. Parents can recover for medical expenses plus pain and suffering.

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13
Q

Respondeat Superior: employer is responsible for the negligence of an employee if it occurred…?

A

during the scope of employment

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14
Q

What is the difference between employer’s direct negligence and vicarious liability?

A

Direct negligence: employer’s own bad decisions (hiring, training, practices)

Vicarious liable: employee’s actions are negligent and employer is liable

(can have both)

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15
Q

True or false: employers are not liable for the intentional torts of employees

A

True, except when conduct is within the scope of employment

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16
Q

What is the difference between a frolic and detour in determining scope of employment?

A

Detour: minor deviation, employer still liable
Frolic: major deviation, employer not liable

17
Q

List some non-delegable duties (that an independent K cannot perform)

A
  1. inherently dangerous activities
  2. duties to the public at large/specific plaintiffs for certain kinds of work
  3. Shopkeepers – premises safe to public
18
Q

Under the apparent agency doctrine, an independent contractor will be treated as an employee if…?

A
  1. injured person accepted contractor’s services based on a reasonable belief that the contractor was an employee
  2. independent contractor’s negligence is a factual cause of harm to one who receives the services and such harm is within the scope of liability
19
Q

True or false: a vehicle owner (or owner of a dangerous object) is directly liable for entrusting that object to someone not in a position to care for it

A

True. Negligent entrustment

20
Q

True or false: parents are generally liable for their minor children’s torts

A

True, but parents can be found negligent with respect to their children’s conduct

21
Q

True or false, dram shop liability absolves a drunk driver from his acts and holds the server/establishment/hosts directly liable.

A

False. This is in addition to the drunk driver’s liable.

22
Q

Explain the Federal Torts Claims Act

A

Expressly waives immunity and allows the fed gov to be sued for certain torts

23
Q

True or false: federal employees may liable under state tort law

A

False. Westfall Act precludes personal liability on the part of a federal employee under state tort law

24
Q

Define joint and several liability

A

Two or more defendants are each liable for a single harm to plaintiff. Each can be held liable for the entire harm.