Tort Of Negligence P2 Flashcards
What are the 3 elements required to prove tort of negligence
A legal duty to exercise care
A breach of that duty of care
Loss or damage caused by to c as a result of D’s breach
What is the first thing we need to establish for negligence
Duty of care
What is establishing duty of care
To establish whether there was a legal relationship between C and D
If there is then the first element of negligence is satisfied
Which case established there is no single definite way of assessing Duty of care so the incremental approach should be taken
Robinson V CC of West Yorkshire Police (2018)
What are the 3 steps in the incremental approach (case by case basis)
1) where and existing precedent that the courts must assume a duty exists
2) whether the courts can draw an anologous duty from a case with similar facts
3) whether the case is a novel and the Campari 3 stage test is to be applied
For the first stage of the Incremental approach, which relationships have already been established and name the cases
Doctor-patient (Montgomery V Lanarkshire)
Lawyer-client (Arther JS Hall V Simmons)
Driver-passenger (Nettleship V Westen)
Manufacturer-customer (Donoghue V Stevenson)
Employor-employee (Walker V Northumberland CC)
For the third stage in the incremental approach, what is a novel case
A case that has no existing precedent or similar facts
The situation has never been resolved or heard by the courts before
What case established the Caparo test
Caparo V Dickman (1990)
Which two cases used the Caparo test and give a brief explanation of the facts
Kent V Griffin (2000) - ambulance was late, answering the 999 call assumed duty
Robinson V CC of West Yorkshire (2018) - police owed a duty of care to the public and when conducting a dangerous arrest
What is the second element for negligence
Breach of duty
When is someone in breach of duty
If they have fallen below the expected standard of care in that situation
Which case established what negligence is
Blyth V Birmingham Waterworks Co (1856)
Which case established the definition of negligence
Blyth V Birmingham Waterworks Co (1856)
What is the definition of negligence
The omission to do something that the reasonable person would do, or doing something that the reasonable person would not do
How is D’s act or omission assessed
By the objective test against the reasonable person
How many reasonable persons are there
3
Name the four reasonable persons and there cases
1) Lowered standard -Children and young people (Mullin V Richards)
2) Raised standard - Professional (Bolam) (Montgomery)
3) Objective standard - (Nettleship) (the law does not take into account lack of skill)
After breach of duty has been looked at, what will the courts look at after
Risk factors
How many risk factors are there
5
What is the first risk factor
Foresight of harm
What is foresight of harm
If the risk is unknown then D cannot be in breach of duty. Standard of care is based on what the reasonable man would have foreseen in the circumstance
What case shows the risk factor of foresight of harm
Roe V Minister of health (1954)
What is the second risk of factor
Likelihood of harm
What is involved in the risk factor of likelihood of harm
If the harm was likely to occur, D is expected to take reasonable precautions to minimise the risk. If they don’t they will be in breach of duty
If harm is not likely = no breach in duty
Which case showed there was no breach of duty as likelihood of harm was low and they took all practical precautions
Bolton V Stone (1915)
Why was D negligent in Miller V Jackson (1977)
The likelihood of harm was high as 9 balls went over the fence in 2 years
What is the 3rd risk factor
Reasonable precautions
What is Reasonable precautions - risk factor
If harm is likely then D is expected to take reasonable precautions and minimise the potential risk.
They are not expected to eliminate the risk completely.
If the cost of eliminating the risk is out of proportion to the benefit it produces the failure to act will be regarded as negligent
Why was Latimer V AEC (1952) not liable
There was no duty to close the factory. They had to take responsible precautions to minimise the risk which they did.
What’s the 4th risk factor
Severity of harm
What is involved in severity of harm
If risk of serious injury, because of C’s vulnerability of the nature of D’s activities, D is expected to take greater care.
Not doing so = breach of duty
Which case showed breach of duty. D should have provided as the seriousness of harm to C would have been greater than the experienced by workers with sight in both eyes
Paris v Stepney (1951)
What is the last risk factor
Social utility
What is social utility as a risk factor
Consider D’s activity from social utility - how important D’s actions are to society
D’s actions are important to society = no breach
Why was D not liable in Watt V Hertfordshire County Council (1954) - Social utility
Saving the woman’s life outweighed the need for precautions of the lorry Jack
Which other case is under social utility
Tomlinson v Congleton Bc (2004)