Tort of Negligence: Liability for Physical Injury and Damage to Property Flashcards
What is negligence?
The defendant failing to do something which the reasonable person would do or doing something which the reasonable person would not do
What case defines negligence?
BLYTH V BIRMINGHAM WATERWORKS
What needs to be proved for D to be liable in negligence?
Duty of care, breach of duty of care and damage caused
What is the definition of a duty of care?
A duty of care is owed to persons who are so closely and directly affected by D’s act that he ought reasonably to have them in contemplation
In which case was the neighbour principle established?
DONOGHUE V STEVENSON
What happened in DONOGHUE V STEVENSON?
A decomposing snail was found in a bottle of ginger beer after drinking it which caused personal injury
What has replaced the neighbour principle?
The CAPARO test
What is the CAPARO test used for?
To establish a duty of care
What is the first part of the CAPARO test?
There will be a duty of care if it was reasonably foreseeable that there was a risk that C and/or their property would be affected
What is the second part of the CAPARO test?
There will be a duty of care if the relationship between C and D was sufficiently proximate in time and space
What is the third part of the CAPARO test?
There will be a duty of care if it was fair, just and reasonable in the circumstances for a duty of care to be imposed on D
What case corresponds with the first part of the CAPARO test for physical injury?
HALEY V LONDON ELECTRICITY BOARD
What does the case HALEY V LONDON ELECTRICITY BOARD say?
A reasonable person must foresee the possibility that, if care is not taken by D, physical injury might be caused
What happened in HALEY V LONDON ELECTRICITY BOARD?
A trench was dug and left unattended with just a shovel as a warning to pedestrians. C was blind so didn’t see the warning and fell, the court held that this was reasonably foreseeable
What case corresponds with the first part of the CAPARO test for damage to property?
HUNTER V CANARY WHARF
What does the case HUNTER V CANARY WHARF say?
It must be that a reasonable person would foresee the possibility that, if care is not taken by D, damage to property might be caused. The damage to property must be more than merely trivial
What case corresponds with the second part of the CAPAPO test?
BOURHILL V YOUNG
What does the case BOURHILL V YOUNG say?
It must be reasonably foreseeable that D’s conduct might cause harm to C due to the closeness and directness of the relationship between them
What happened in BOURHILL V YOUNG?
C got off a tram when a motorcyclist collided with a car 50 feet away and died. C heard the crash but didn’t see it then walked past where the incident occurred and saw the blood. C went into shock and her baby was born stillborn so she brought a negligence case against D’s estate but it failed as there wasn’t sufficient proximity when the incident occurred
What does the case BLYTH V BIRMINGHAM WATERWORKS say about the breach of duty of care?
D will have breached his duty of care if he failed to reach the standard of care required of the reasonable person in the same circumstances
What does the case NETTLESHIP V WESTON say about the breach of duty of care?
Where a person holds himself out to the public as possessing a special skill, he is required to reach the standard normally expected of persons doing that activity