Tort Law - Paper 2 Section B Flashcards

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1
Q

negligence

negligence

A
  • can be personal injury and damadges
  • only liable if;
  • .1. the defendant owes the claimant a duty of care
  • .2. the defendant breached the duty of care
  • .3. does the breach cause reasonable forseeable damadge
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2
Q

Duty of care

negligence - duty of care

A
  • according to the case robinson - you look at the situation and if there is a duty established (doctor-patient) in past cases which are similar you dont need to do duty of care
  • neighbour principle - anyone in your contemplation who might be directly affected by your actions
  • important case for duty of care
  • donoghue v stevenson - shows the neighbour principle
    • drinks sealed ginger beer that was bought by friend who got from cafe who got from factory
  • had snail in it
  • who to sue
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3
Q

Caparo V Dickman

negligence - duty of care

A
  • three part test;
  • .1. was the damadge or harm forseeable
  • .2. is there a sufficently proxminate relationship between the calimant and the defendant
  • .3. is it fair just and reasonable to impose a duty
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4
Q

.1. is the harm or damdage forseeable

negligence - duty of care

A
  • the harm to the victum must be reasonably forseeable
  • kent v griffiths - ashtma attack, ambulance wasnt there in time, liable, call centre promised
  • jolley v sutton london borough council - kids playing on rotton boat, boat landed on them, liable
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5
Q

.2. the claimant and defendant have a aproximate relationship

negligence - duty of care

A
  • bourhill v griffiths
  • preganat lady saw motor bike accident
  • lost her baby as so much shock
  • tried to sue parents but couldnt as motorcyclisst didnt owe a duty of care
  • hill v cheif constable of west yorkshire
  • serial killer been murdering people
  • police had enough infomation but was to late
  • next victums parents tried to sue police
  • relationship between police and victum were not proxitmate
  • mcloughlin v o’brien
  • claimants family in tragic lorry accident
  • c suffered shock after seeing family in court
  • sued successfully
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6
Q

.3 fair just and reasonable

negligence - duty of care

A
  • relucant to find that it is ‘fair just and reasonable’ to impose a duty on public officers
  • hill v chief constable of west yorkshire - if police always had a duty then they would start defensive policing
  • capital and counties v hampshire county council - fire broke out and fire brigade turned off the sprinklers so destoryed building,
  • duty held as turning off the sprinklers increased damadge
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7
Q

breach of duty

negligence - breach of duty

A
  • two part test
  • .1. objective standard of care
  • .2. the degree of risk
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8
Q

.1. the objective standard of care

negligence - break of duty - the objective standard of care

A
  • the standard of care is measured objectivly by the reasonable man test
  • created by the case blyth v birmingham waterworks
  • if a defendant falls below the standard of care , then there will be a breach of duty
  • there are characterics that the court can consider
  • experts
  • inexperienced people (learners)
  • children
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9
Q

experts

negligence - break of duty - the objective standard of care

A
  • where the defendant has some expertise
  • doctors
  • bolam v friern hospital managment
  • c was getting shock treatment for mental health , signed consent but has no info about broken bones
  • no breach
  • montgomery v lanarkshire health board
  • gave birth to a baby with cerebal palsy due to complications
  • doctor didnt say all the risks
  • doctor was liable
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10
Q

learners

negligence - break of duty - the objective standard of care

A
  • nettleship v weston
  • driving lesson
  • got in crash and hurt dirivng instructor
  • liable
  • learners are still held to the same standard as a reasonable man
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11
Q

children

negligence - break of duty - the objective standard of care

A
  • mchale v watson
  • threw a dart and it hit a girl in the eye
  • not liable
  • expect kids to be more reckless
  • mullin v richards
  • two girls player with plastic rulers
  • snapped and went in eye
  • not liable as only two teengae girls playing
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12
Q

degree of risk

negligence - break of duty - the degree of risk

A
  • court decides wether there has been a breach
  • there are risk factors that may be considered
  • .1. does the claimant have any special characteritics which should be taken into acount?
  • .2. what is the size of the risk?
  • .3. is it practicable to take precautions?
  • .4. is the risk forseeable
  • .5. is there a public benifit to the risk?
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13
Q

.1. does the claimant have any special characteristics

negligence - break of duty - the degree of risk

A
  • paris v stepney borough council
  • blind in one eye
  • worked where there was a risk to the eyes
  • not given protective goggles
  • liable
  • even tho the characteritics are special they should have taken precautions whne there is a known risk
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14
Q

.2. what is the size of the risk?

negligence - break of duty - the degree of risk

A
  • when the risk is small there is unlikly to be a duty of care
  • bolton v stone
  • got hit by a cricket ball walking past a cirkcet pitch
  • had a 17 foot fence protecting the road
  • only 6 balls had left the ground in 30 years
  • not liable as they have done everything they can
  • HOWEVER if there is a known risk and little precautions have been taken then more likly to be liable
  • haley v london electricity board
  • dug ground out to put wires in it
  • put signs but no barriers
  • blind claimant fell in the hole
  • liable
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15
Q

.3. is it practible to take precautions

negligence - break of duty - the degree of risk

A
  • court have to consider the balanceof risk involed against the cost and effort of taking precautions
  • latimer v AEC ltd
  • factory was flooded and floor was slippery
  • sawdust was put on floor
  • perosn slipped
  • not liable
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16
Q

.4. is the risk forseeable?

negligence - break of duty - the degree of risk

A
  • if the risk of harm is not known there is no breach
  • roe v minister of health
  • anaesthic was kept in glass tubes which were sterrilised
  • glass had unkown cracks
  • claimant got paralised
  • not liable
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17
Q

.5. is there public benefit to the risk?

negligence - break of duty - the degree of risk

A
  • if there is an emergency then greater risks can be taken and lower standard of care
  • emergency survices
  • watt v hertfordshire county council
  • claimant was firefighter
  • went to save lady under lorry
  • didnt have proper equipment and he got crushed
  • not liable - emergency
  • day v high performance sports
  • claimant was experienced climber and fell
  • wasnt rescued properly
  • not liable - acting in emergency
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18
Q

damage

negligence - damage

A
  • the loss suffered was caused by the breach of duty and that the damdge is remote
  • causation - the idea that the breach of duty factually and legally caused the damage
  • remotness of damage - the idea that the damadge has to be reasonably forseeable
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19
Q

causation

negligence - damage

A
  • .1. factual causation
  • use the but for test
  • barnett v chelsea and kengsington hospital
  • 3 men went to hosptial after not feeling after drinking tea
  • doctor told go home
  • man died
  • not liable as to far gone
  • multiple causes - dont have to prove defendant breach was the main just that they contributed
  • .2. legal causation
  • de minimis
  • intervening act break the chain of causation
  • wether the injury was forseeable consequence of the orginal negligence or omision
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20
Q

remotness of damage

negligence - damage

A
  • must not be too remote
  • type of harm
  • egg shell skull rule
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21
Q

remotness of damage - not be too remote

negligence - damage

A
  • the damage can not be too remote from the d negligence
  • the injury or damage must be reasonable foreseeable
  • the wagon mound- important
  • oil spilt on water and set fire
  • not forseeable that it would catch light
  • crossly v rawlinson
  • lorry caught fire man went to help and fell
  • tried to see
  • not forseeable he would have fallen
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22
Q

remotness of damage - type of harm

negligence - damage

A
  • the damage must be of the same type/kind as the harm that could have been forseen
  • the case even if the precise way the harm actually happened wasnt necessarliy forseeable
  • hughes v lord advocate
  • man hole - kids played in it and fell and caught fire
  • liable - forseeable injury
  • bradford v robinson rentals
  • c was sent by employer to get a new van bc the old one didnt have heaters
  • got frostbite
  • liable - injuries were unusal but forseeable
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23
Q

remotness of damage - eggshell skull rule

negligence - damage

A
  • must take the victum as he finds them
  • smith v leech brain
  • man working in factory got burnt by molton iron
  • already had pre-cancerous condition
  • caused cancer
  • liable
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24
Q

defences to negligence

negligence defences

A
  • contributory negligence - part defence
  • consent - full defence
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25
Q

contributory negligence

negligence defences

A
  • where both defendant and claimant are to blame
  • can be reduced to the extent which the claimant contributed
  • decided by the judge
  • sayers v harlow urban district council - reduced 25% due to recklessness
  • jayes v imi ltd - reduced 100% as took guard off
  • o’connel v jackson - reduced 15% wasnt wearing a helmet
  • froom v butcher - reduced 20% as wasnt wearing a seatbelt
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26
Q

consent - volenti

negligence defences

A
  • no injury is done to somebody who consents to the risks
  • defendant has to show
  • .1. knowledge of the precise risk
  • ,2, exercise of free choice by claimant
  • .3. a voluntary acceptance of the risk
  • THIS DEFENCE CAN NOT BE USED FOR ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS
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27
Q

,1, knowledge of the precise risk involved

negligence defences - consent

A
  • defendant must have full undertsnading of the nature of the actual risk
  • stermer v lawson
  • borrwed a motor bike and got injured
  • no defence - not been shown how to properly use
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28
Q

.2. exercise of free choice by claimant

negligence defences - consent

A
  • claimant has must voluntarily accept the risk and undertake it
  • smith v baker
  • injured on contruction site
  • knew risks but didnt consent to the lack of care
  • could make claim
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29
Q

.3. a voluntary acceptance of the risk

negligence defences - consent

A
  • where a person has a duty to act and is then injured because of the defendants negligence - NO DEFENCE
  • means the claimant had no choice but to act
  • haynes v harwood
  • police officer injured by holding horse which was tied properly
  • no defence - officer was working to protect not acting volentaryily
  • ogwo v taylor
  • fire fighter got injured putting a reckless fire out
  • no defence
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30
Q

strenghts of duty care

evaluations of negligence

A
  • using the case robinson
  • provides clearer advide for claimants (similar cases) , more efficent
  • proximate test (c v d)
  • flexable with new situations (but unclear and undefined)
  • duty of care is important to establish posisble fault
  • fairness for defendant
  • making sure you are sueing the correct people
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31
Q

weakness of duty of care

evaluations of negligence

A
  • the c v d test lacks clarity
  • makes it difficult for lawyers to advise clients - extremly objective
  • judges deciding cases
  • “fair”,”just”,”reasonable”
  • judge decides that these words mean
  • “blanket immunity”
  • police force are imune from being sued
  • hill v west yourkshire police
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32
Q

reforms for duty of care

evaluations of negligence

A
  • use dictionary
  • clear guidlines
  • be able to sue the police - change some rules
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33
Q

strenghts of breach

evaluations of negligence

A
  • allows defedants characteristics to be taken into account
  • allows law to be applied fairly
  • vunreable claimants protected
  • nettleship v weston - unfair to be held to an expert
  • holds experts to a high standard
  • poeple have to stay ta a high standard
  • quality of provisions
  • however could put of surgeons doing big risky surgerys
  • forseeable risk + practical precautions
  • fairer for defendant
  • bolton v stone , small risk led to big outcome
  • expect less from children
  • however how do we decided the age - all mature differently
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34
Q

weaknesses of breach

evaluations of negligence

A
  • standards are the same no matter the experience
  • nettleship v weston
  • junior doctors & experts
  • bolton v stone
  • claimant got no compensation as risk was small
  • all precautions taken
  • still injured
  • what is reasonable?
  • vauge, objective
  • judges decided and all different]
  • therefore not consitent
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35
Q

reforms for breach

evaluations of negligence

A
  • change depending on what type of experience somebody has
  • easier to sue sports grounds
  • guidlines for medical experts
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36
Q

strength of caustation/remoteness

evaluations of negligence

A
  • factual causation
  • fair
  • makes sure d is at fault
  • egg shell skull rule
  • justice for claimants whos not at fault
  • remotness
  • good for d
  • only liable for forseeable harm
  • reinforces motion of “mitigation of loss”
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37
Q

weakness of causation/remotness

evaluations of negligence

A
  • inconsistent
  • remotness is decided by judge - to much power
  • inconsistent application of causation
  • factual causation discrepancies about hospitals
  • barnett, chester v asfar
  • some hospitals liable and some not
  • problem when more than one defendant
  • claimant cant prove which one did it
  • remotness
  • unfair on claimant , limits liablity on d
  • issues with intervening act
  • steamship case
  • natural disaster but ship was already damadged
  • d only liable for first damadge - unfair for claimant
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38
Q

occupiers liability

occupiers liability - A01 for both

A
  • claimants injury or loss to property suffered while on the occupiers premises
  • occupiers liability act 1957 (lawful visitors)
  • occupiers liability act 1984 (tresspassers)
    * first need to prove occipur and premises
  • loss for lawful - personal injury and property
  • loss for tresspasser - only personal injury
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39
Q

.1. occupier

occupiers liability - A01 for both

A
  • no statutory defintion
  • section1(2) states “someone in control of the premises”
  • the test is found in the case wheat v e lacon
  • doesnt have to be the owner or tennant , can be manager or emplyer
  • more than one person can be in control
  • defendant doesnt need proprietary interest
  • harris v birkenhead
  • council put up sign in house, abbanded
  • 4 yr old gets injured, council in control
  • bailey v armes
  • the supermarket nor family were in control of the roof
40
Q

.2. premises

occupiers liability - A01 for both

A
  • section 1(3)(a)
  • “any fixed or moveable structure including any vessel, vehicle or aircraft
  • london graving dock v horton - ship in a dry dock
  • hartwell v grayson - vehicles
  • haseldine v daw and son - lifts
  • wheeler v copas - ladders
41
Q

lawful visitors

occupier liability for lawful visitors (1957)

A
  • invitees (any invited to enter)
  • licensees (permission to be there for a particular period)
  • contractual permission (person who has bought a ticket for an event)
  • statutory right (police)
42
Q

owe a duty

occupier liability for lawful visitors (1957)

A
  • section 2(2) - have to keep a visitor reasonably safe not completly
  • laverton v kiapasha takeaway supreme
  • slip resistant floors , been cleaned
  • c slipped and hurt ankle - not liable , kept reasonably safe
  • the duty doesnt extend to liability for pure accidents
  • cole v davis-gilbert
  • injured from falling in a maypole hole
  • tried to sue royal legion
  • happened 2 yrs after removal
  • duty cant last that long and accident
43
Q

duty for children

occupier liability for lawful visitors (1957)

A
  • additonal special duty - section2(3)
  • must be prepared for children to be less careful , must be reasonaly safe for a child of that age
  • children are attracted to allurments
44
Q

duty for children cases

occupier liability for lawful visitors (1957)

A
  • may not pose a threat to an adult may be dangerous to a child - glasgow corporation v taylor
  • 7yr old ate wild berries in park and died
  • council aware of fanger and didnt htink of children - liable
  • should guard against allurments - jolley v london borough of sutton
  • rotton boat
  • kids played on it and injured
  • council liable
  • parents- phiips v rochester corporation
  • 5 and 7 yr playing on council land
  • fell down hole
  • council not liable - no parents
45
Q

liability for tradesman

occupier liability for lawful visitors (1957)

A
  • owe a duty for a tradesman coming onto their premises
  • section2(3)(b) - if injured related to his traid then not liable
  • but should be told about special risks
  • roles v nathan
  • chimney sweeps died while working
  • not liable - know the risks of the job
46
Q

liability for torts comminted by independant contractor (defence)

occupier liability for lawful visitors (1957)

A
  • if visitor is injured by a workmans negligent work
  • section2(4)
  • occupier must prove that
  • .1. must be reasonable for the occupier to give the work to the contractor (was specilst or complex work) - haseldine v daw and son
  • lift shaft fell
  • not liable as it was specialst work and should have been given to a specilst firm
  • .2. the contractor must be competent and insured - bottomly v todmorden cricket club
  • cricket club used stunt team for fireworks
  • went wrong and got injured
  • liable - didnt choose competant contractor
  • .3. occupier must check the work has been done propely (even if requires an expert) - woodward v mayor of hastings
  • need all of these
47
Q

defences for lawful vistors

occupier liability for lawful visitors (1957)

A
  • contributory negligence
  • consent
  • warning notices - complete defence
  • must be effective enough
  • exclusion clauses
48
Q

occupier liability for tresspassers

occupier liability for tresspassers (1984)

A
  • section 1(1)(a)
  • duty applies in respect of people other than lawful
  • the duty - section1(4) - to take such care as is reasobale in the cirsumstance to see that the tresspasser is not injured by reason of the danger
  • the greater the risk the more precautions
49
Q

duty test

occupier liability for tresspassers (1984)

A

section 1(3)
* .1. he is aware of the danger or beleives it exists
* .2. to beleive that the other is in the vicinty of the danger or may come of the vicinity
* .3. offer the other some protection

50
Q

adult tresspassers

occupier liability for tresspassers (1984)

A
  • not liable if tresspaper was injured by obvious danger - ratcliff v mcconnel
  • broke into swimming pool, dived in and no sign, dont need sign for obvious danger
  • the time of day/year is relevant - donoghue v folkstone properties
  • went to harbour and swam at midnight in december, slipped, no liable
  • occupier doesnt have to spend a lot of money to make the premises safe - tomlinson v congleton bc
  • resiviour, dont need to put fence up, sign was enough
  • occupier doesnt expect tresspassers - higgs v foster
  • expection pit for trucks, someone in there, no warning , not liable
  • wasnt aware of danger - rhind v astbury water park
  • didnt know submerged glass block was there , not liable
51
Q

children tresspapers

occupier liability for tresspassers (1984)

A
  • same approach applies to child tresspapssers as adult
  • keown v conventury healthcentre nhs trust
  • children running up and down staircase
  • slipt on ice
  • not liable
52
Q

defences for occupier liability for tresspassers (1984)

occupier liability for tresspassers (1984)

A
  • contributory negligence
  • consent (volenti)
  • warning signs
53
Q

occupiers liablity evaulation

occupiers liablity evaulation

A
  • inconsitentcies between the damadge covered by 1957 and 1984
  • should tresspassers be abllowed to claim
  • obvious dangers
54
Q

inconsitencies between the damadge covered by the 1957 and 1984 acts

occupiers liablity evaulation

A
  • .1. 1957 allows for personal injury and damadge but 1984 only personal injury - compensation is limited for tresspassers
  • .2. 1957 test is reasonable care to keep visitors reaosnably safe , 1984 is about being aware of the danger and people coming in
  • .3. 1984 test is inconsistent with usual objective tests - requires specifc knowledge
55
Q

should tresspasers be able to claim?

occupiers liablity evaulation

A
  • judges reflect public opinoin by trying to not allow tresspapssers compensation
  • obvious dangers test to limit liability of occupiers
  • howver judges dont always represent the public
  • revill v newbery - 82 yr old was injured by a tresspasser and still have to pay compensation
56
Q

obvious dangers

occupiers liablity evaulation

A
  • no duty owed to an occipuer if the injury is from an obvious danger
  • test is now in both
  • good thing
  • still inconsistent
57
Q

reforms for occupiers liability

occupiers liablity evaulation

A
  • introduce no fault liability- go through insurance instead of courts
  • state run compensation scheme paid by taxes
  • change in approach of judges
58
Q

private nuisance

private nuisance

A
  • “the unlawful interference with a persons use or enjoyment of their land coming from the unreasonable use of neigbours land”
  • claimant - anyone who has had the use or enjoyment of their land affected, have to have propiority interest
  • hunter v canary wharf - claim was about their view but they dont own the view
  • defendant - either caused or allowed or failed to deal with problem , dont need propiroty interest
  • sedleigh-dunfeild v o’callaghan - council came to fit pipe , monks knew it was broken didnt do anything, liable
59
Q

direct inference

private nuisance

A
  • roots
  • sewage
60
Q

indirect inference

private nuisance

A
  • noise
  • smell
  • fumes
61
Q

factors affecting reasonableness of defendant

private nuisance

A
  • local area
  • time of day and duration
  • malicous defendant
  • sensitve claimant
  • social benefit
62
Q

local area

private nuisance - factors affecting reasonableness

A
  • court will decide if its purely residentual, partly residentual or countryside
  • has the character changed over time
  • sturges v bridgeman
  • “what would be nuisance in belgrave square would not nessicarliy be so in bermonsdey”
63
Q

time of day and duration

private nuisance - factors affecting reasonableness

A
  • to be actionable, the inference is likely to be continous and at unreasobale hours of the day or late at night
  • E.G consistant late night paties
  • crown river cruise ltd v kimbolton fireworks ltd
  • river barge was set alight by flamable debrie coming from firework display
  • not normally a nuisance but is in this case
64
Q

malicious defendant

private nuisance - factors affecting reasonableness

A
  • delibratly harmful act will usally be inreasonable and private nuisance
  • christie v davey
  • c was music teachers and held music parties
  • d banging pots bc annoyed
  • deliriate malice behaviour
65
Q

sensitive claimant

private nuisance - factors affecting reasonableness

A
  • if it can be shown that the claimant is particulary sensitive then may not be private nusicance
  • robinson v kilbert
  • special paper ruined by other paper in basement
  • no nuisance - to senstive
  • network rail infrastructure v morris
  • new tracks were put next to a recording studio and messed up equipment
  • no nuisance
66
Q

social benefit

private nuisance - factors affecting reasonableness

A
  • if it is proved that it is providing a benefit to the community, may be considered reasonable
  • miller v jackson
  • cricket balls always in garden
  • had high fence
  • social benifit - no nuisance
67
Q

defences to nuisance

private nuisance

A
  • consent
  • prescription - if carried on for 20 years and no complaints sturges v bridgman - doctor rooms by factories , defence failed bc the 20yrs started when rooms were built
  • statutory authority and planning permisson - allen v gulf oil - did not have permission to have n oil refinary
68
Q

remedies

private nuisance

A
  • injunctions
  • damages
  • abatement
69
Q

rylands v fletcher

rylands v fletcher

A
  • strict liability tort - no requirment to show fault
  • claimant - has to have an interest in the land affected
  • defendant - must have some control over the land
  • rylands v fletcher
  • build resivour on land - didnt cover mines properly in neighbours land
70
Q

four part test

rylands v fletcher

A
  • .1. bringing onto the land
  • .2. the thing is likly to do mischeif if it escapes
  • .3. non - natural use of the land
  • .4. escapes and causes forseeable harm
71
Q

.1. bringing onto the land

rylands v fletcher

A
  • the defendant must bring something onto the land that is not naturally present
  • not weeds - giles v walker
  • not rainwater - ellison v minister of defence
72
Q

.2. the thing is likly to do mischeif if it escapes

rylands v fletcher

A
  • test of forseeability
  • if escapes must be forseeable
  • for example
  • gas and electricity - transco v stockport
  • poisonous fumes
  • tree branches
  • chair-o-plane - hale v jenning bros - liable
  • fire - lms v styrene packaging - liable
  • but - stannard - flamable tires - not liable
73
Q

.3. non-natural use of land

rylands v fletcher

A
  • non-natural refers to some unusal use of land
  • examples of natural uses that would not lead to liability
  • fire in a grate
  • defective electic wiring
  • domestic water supply - rickards v lothing
  • benefit of the community - british celanese v ah hunt ltd
  • stored strips of metal foil for electrics , blew away
  • benefit neigbourhood
74
Q

.4. escapes and causes forseebale damage

rylands v fletcher

A
  • claimant needs propiroty interest in the land
  • read v lyons - just employees and claiming for personal injury
  • must be forseeable
  • cambridge water co - although lots of floods, it was not reasonable to make them move , too much money
75
Q

defences

rylands v fletcher

A
  • consent
  • contributory negligence
  • act of starnger - perry v kendricks transport - petrol tank, one unscrewed, another threw cigarrete
  • act of god
  • statutory authority
76
Q

vicarious liability

vicarious liability

A
  • comes from the test barclays bank
  • two part test
  • .1. was the person alleged to have commited the tort an employee (relationship)
  • .2. did the employee commit the alleged tort closely connected his employment (connection)
77
Q

traditional test for employment

vicarious liability - traditional test for employment

A
  • if there is a clear employment relationship, we have 3 traditonal tests
  • control test
  • intergtaion or organisation test
  • economic reality test
78
Q

control test

vicarious liability - traditional test for employment

A
  • comes from the case short v henderson - “master & servant”
  • how much autonomy over own work does tortfeaser have?
  • if there is more control they are more likly an employee
  • mersey docks & harbour board v coggins and griffths
  • crane driver hired out , paying wages and sent with the equipment
  • hawley v luminar leisure
  • bouncer supplied by another company assualted a a customer
  • club was liable
79
Q

intergration or organisation test

vicarious liability - traditional test for employment

A
  • how intergrated/important is the tortfeaser to the company?
  • test comes from
  • stevenson, jordan + harrison v mcdonald and evans
  • if they are only an accesary to the company they wont be an employer
  • cox v minister or justice
  • prisoner working in kitchen
  • dropped rice on someones foot
  • prison has lots of control and cant run without him
  • employer
80
Q

econimic reality test

vicarious liability - traditional test for employment

A
  • are they paying taxes, NI, payslip, pensions, tools and equpiment
  • employmentready mixed contre v minister
  • .1. employee agrees to provide work in exchange for a wage
  • .2. the employee accpets that the work will be subject to the employer
  • .3. everything in the contract is consistent
81
Q

christtian brothers akin to employment test

vicarious liability - akin to employment

A
  • .1. d likly to have means of compensation
  • .2. tort was commited as a result of activity on behalf of the d
  • .3. the tortfeasers activity is likly to be part of the d business activity
  • .4. the d has created the risk of the tort being commited by the torfeaser by employing them
  • .5. d maintains a dgree of control over tortfeaser
  • catholic child welfare society v various claimants
  • teachers sexually assulated kids at school
  • connected to employment - liable
  • mahamud v morrison supermarket
  • employee assaulted customer at petrol station - employers liable
  • barclays bank v various claimants
  • doctors assulated employees while carrying our medical exmainations for barclays
  • bank not liable
82
Q

independant contractors

vicarious liability - akin to employment

A
  • barclays bank v various claimants
  • doctor had;
  • other jobs
  • insurance
  • lots of autonomy
83
Q

factors wether they are acting in course of their employment

vicarious liability - acting in course of their employment

A
  • acting against orders
  • acting outside employment
  • commiting a criminal act
  • negligent act
  • acting on a frolic of their own
84
Q

acting against orders

vicarious liability - acting in course of their employment

A
  • is doing his job but acting against orders the employer is still liable
  • if deloberatly acting in a prohinted way then employer not liable
  • rose v plenty
  • instructed not to use children in factories
  • did and got injured
  • employer liable as not prohibted just instructed
  • twine v bear express
  • c husband died due to negligence work who was prohibited not to give lifts
  • employer not liable as prohinted not to
85
Q

acting outside of employment

vicarious liability - acting in course of their employment

A
  • doing something outside of their employment the employer is not liable
  • beard v london general omnibus
  • bus driver drove bus without authority
  • employer not liable as acting outside of employment
86
Q

comminting a criminal act

vicarious liability - acting in course of their employment

A
  • if there is a close connection between crime and employment then employer liable
  • lister v helsey hall
  • sexually assaulted children at a special school
  • close connection - employer liable
  • n v chief constable of merseyside police
  • sexual assult carried out by police officer
  • employer not liable - only enabled him to gain trust
  • mohamud v morrison
  • employee assulated customer
  • close connection
  • employer liable
87
Q

negligent act

vicarious liability - acting in course of their employment

A
  • if the employee does a job badly then employer still liable
  • century insurance v nothen ireland road transport board
  • petrol tank driver
  • threw cigarrete on the ground
  • employer liable
88
Q

acting on a frolic of their own

vicarious liability - acting in course of their employment

A
  • causes damge to another while doing something outside their work, will not be liable
  • hilton v thomas burton ltd
  • took unathorised break and drive to cafe and had accident
  • employer not liable as not acting in course of their employment
  • smith v stages
  • employee driving home from work but payed for that journey
  • employer liable
89
Q

liability for independant contractors

vicarious liability - acting in course of their employment

A
  • morrison v various
  • publised data that he stole whenhe worked at morrisons
  • had been fired
  • morrions was not liable - was to delibratly harm morrison
90
Q

evaulations of vicarious liability

evaulations of vicarious liability

A
  • confusing and ever changing employee test
  • inconsitency of decisions in cases about employees undertaking dangerous or prohibited activities
  • problems with replacing the employee test with a single test
  • VL justified because employers should be more responsible and can pay more easily
  • unfair burden on employers
91
Q

confusing and ever changing employee test

evaulations of vicarious liability

A
  • rules can be complictaed
  • if the torfeaser is on loan/subcontracted
  • are doing something not directly part of employment
  • REFORM
  • have a single test
  • fairer and employer would be in no dount for whom they are responsible for
92
Q

problems with replacing the employee tests with a single test

evaulations of vicarious liability

A
  • restrictive to the diverse nature of employment contrcators
  • could just use sub-contrcated workers to avoid responsibility for dangerous practice - unfair
  • one size doesnt fit all - mersey docks v coggins
93
Q

inconsistency of decisions in cases about employees undertaking dangerous or prohibited activites

evaulations of vicarious liability

A
  • rose v plenty , twine v beans express
  • both employees were told not to do things but only employer in rose was liable
  • hilton acting on a frolic m so uncsuccseful clam, whereas similar facts in smith v stages but emplyer liable
94
Q

unfair burden on employer

evaulations of vicarious liability

A
  • unrealistic to expect an employer to have control over all possible and unpredictable actions of their employees
  • less fair when tort is commited outside workplace/homeworking employer has less control
  • contradicts fault based principle of liability
95
Q

vicarious liability justified because employers should be more responsible and can pay more easily

evaulations of vicarious liability

A
  • employer is at a better place to compensate because they will have insurance
  • possibility of claims can encourage the employer to take higher standards of care and not turn a blind eye
  • REFORM
  • take an active role in monitoring employees activites
  • employer should be responsible as they are in control, responsible for training and have power to fire anyone not doing their jobs properly