tort part 2 Flashcards
OL- problem question steps
- when does the occupiers liability act 1957 apply
- how wide is the scope of the act?
- who owes duties under the act?
- to whom does the duty apply?
- imposition of a DOC
- special rules/aspects of the DOC owed under the act?
- defences
- when does the occupiers liability act 1984 apply?
- 1984 act and the DOC
when does the OLA 57 apply
- if the damage has occurred on the premises as defined in s1(3)(a)
- effectively creates certain pos obligations upon the occupier
how wide is the scope of OLA 57
- this act covers dangers due to the state of the premises themselves
who owes duties under OLA 57- wheat v lacon
- wheat v lacon- key issue is an element of control that one person may have over the premises
to whom does the duty apply- OLA 57
- duty is owed to those who are visitors
- a visitor is someone who is either an invitee or a licensee
- Gould v mcauliffe
- lowery v walker
Gould v mcauliffe
- if an occupier wishes to place limitations upon the visitor then he must take steps to bring the limitation to the visitors attention
lowery v walker
- where an occupier tolerates the use by the members of the public of his property as a shortcut, it is implied that he or she grants them permission to enter
how the 57 OLA works- imposition of DOC
- remember still need to show breach, causation and remoteness
- in assessing whether or not the duty has been satisfied, one must consider the following:
- is the visitor reasonably safe in using the premises for the purposes for which he was invited there?
- is the visitor safe as opposed to the premises?
- what is reasonable in the circs?
special rules/aspects of the DOC owed under OLA 57
- warnings
- skilled workers
- children
Phipps v rochester corp
- parents have the primary responsibility for their children
defences for OL
- volenti
- cont neg
- exclusion of liability
OL to trespassers and non-visitors under the OLA 84- BRB v Herrington
D owed a duty of common humanity to trespassers
defences 84 act- ratcliff v McConnell
- volenti
- C climbed over the wall surrounding a swimming pool when access was prohibited after they’d been drinking
- wasn’t entitled to compensation
problem question product liability
- consider liability in contract and why that would be the preferred cause of action
- consider CPA 87
- consider common law negligence where statute prevents recovery for the loss
liability in contract
- powerful weapon for the claimant
- strict liability
- all losses are recoverable
- but limitations
- only buyer can sue- privity of contract
common law- CPA 87
- D v S- leading case
- there needs to be fault
- this can be hard to prove which is why the CPA 87 was made
grant v australian knitting mills
- intermediate examination
- the mere possibility of tampering in the product was not enough to absolve D of liability
- common law
hollis v dow corning corp
risk in respect of breast implants only 0.1% but still liable under common law
Common law summary- DvS
- can recover PI, property damage and consequential losses
- de minimus principle- no losses less than £275 under CPA 87 so can use it for anything under 275
- common law has a wider application
- time limits more favourable under common law
statutory liability CPA 87 – who can sue and be sued?
- strict liability
- who can sue- anyone suffering damage or harm wholly or partly caused by a defective product
- who can be sued- producer/supplier
defences- statutory liability
- development risks defence- a v national blood authority
- cont neg
- strict limitation periods- claims must be brought within 3 years of becoming manifest, and within 10 years of the supply of the product
private nuisance- problem question
- what interest is protected
- what type of harm can you sue for
- (un) reasonable user
- 3 potential defendants
- defences
- remedies
fearn v Tate gallery
- private nuisance
- about neighbour disputes/competing interests of landowners
what interest is protected, malone v laskey, priv nuisance
- only those who have an interest in the land affected can sue in priv nuisance
- defendants not liable as in MvL they didnt have a proprietary interest
what type of harm can you sue for priv nuisance
- have to maintain the balance between the competing claims of neighbours
- physical damage
- interference with enjoyment of land
- encroachments
(un)reasonable user priv nuisance
- malice
- duration and frequency
- abnormal sensitivity
Hollywood silver fox farm v Emmett
- malice
- Emmett shot near the farm and caused the foxes to get nervous
spicer v smee
- one off incident can still constitute a nuisance
robinson v kilvert
- d not liable if there is abnormal sensitivity of the claimant
3 potential defendants priv nuisance
- landlord
— unless the landlord is covenanted to repair
— or the nuisance existed before the letting
— or landlord expressly or impliedly authorises the notice - occupier of land
- creator of nuisance
defences priv nuisance
- prescription- 20+ years
- act of a stranger
- volenti and cont neg
defences that are ineffective -priv nuisance
- public benefit- only relevant at remedies
- coming to the nuisance
miller v Jackson
- houses built on the edge of a cricket ground
- cricket balls kept landing on property
- they came to the nuisance so got damages but not injunction
remedies priv nuisance
- damages
- injunction- discretionary
remoteness of losses- priv nuisance
- same as the test in negligence- wagon mound 1- type of damage needs to be foreseeable but not the extent
the rule in rylands v fletcher
- 4 conditions
- priv nuisance
- dangerous thing
- accumulation
- escape
- non natural user