Torts Flashcards
Zone of Danger
P2 can recover only if she can establish that a reasonable person would have foreseen a risk of injury to her under the circumstances
(P2 must be located within the foreseeable zone of danger)
Res ipsa loquitor requirements
- the accident causing the injury is of a type that would not normally occur unless someone was negligent;
- the negligence must be attributable to the defendant; AND
- the plaintiff must be free from fault- must show that the injury was not attributable to her
Est duty and breach
Est inference of negligence (burden does not shift)
Motion for Directed Verdict - how often granted on MBE questions?
Very high burden on the movant
P’s motion almost always denied, unless P has est statutory violation, no issue of PC or damages (about 5%)
D’s motion sometimes granted (about 20%) P failed to est breach or stat violation is excused or inapplicable
Both denied often (about 75%)
Is there ANY triable issue of fact? Yes – > deny
Negligence per se
Established by violation of a statute if the P shows:
1. She is in the class intended to be protected by the statute AND
2. the statute was designed to prevent the type of harm that she suffered
Est duty and breach
Est presumption of negligence, shifts burden of production
Res Ipsa Loquitor versus Negligence per se
Both est duty and breach, overcome directed verdict
RIL = Est inference of negligence (burden does not shift)
NPS = Est presumption of negligence, shifts burden of production
Tests for actual cause (cause in fact)
- but for test
- substantial factor test
- alternative causes approach
But for test
Several acts, each insufficient to cause injury alone, combine to cause injury
Substantial factor test
Several causes and any one alone would have been sufficient
Alternative causes approach
Several acts, but only one cause P’s injury
General test for proximate cause
Was the harm within the risk caused by D’s conduct?
If an intervening force is foreseeable, it will NOT cut off the D’s liability for his negligent conduct
Firefighter’s Rule
A public safety officer (generally a cop or firefighter) cannot recover for injuries suffered while in the line of duty
Intervening force
An outside force that comes into motion after the D’s negligent act and combines with it to cause P’s injury
NEVER the conduct of the P or D
Pure Comparative Negligence
P’s recovery is reduced by the percentage of fault attributed to her.
P may recover no matter how great her fault
On MBE, assume pure comparative negligence unless facts say otherwise
Modified comparative negligence
(only if explicitly says so in the fact pattern)
P can only recover if she is less than 50% at fault
Affirmative duty to act/Duty to control conduct of a third party arises when
One has the authority and ability to control the conduct of the third party
One knows or has reason to know of the need to exercise such control
Respondeat superior
Er is vicariously liable for any negligent acts of his ees committed within the scope of the employment relationship
Can apply to intentional torts as well, when “force is inherent in the nature of the employment” (bouncer, security guard)
Prima facie elements for ALL intentional torts
-act by D
-intent
-causation
Hypersensitivity of the plaintiff is ignored
Are there incapacity defenses for intentional torts?
No
Intent definition for torts
Desire to produce the legally forbidden consequence
Transferred intent
D has intent BUT
-different consequence OR
-different victim
D still liable
Intentional torts
Battery Assault False imprisonment IIED Trespass to land Trespass to chattels conversion
Battery elements
- harmful or offensive conduct (need not be instantaneous)
- contact with the plaintiff’s person
Battery: harmful or offensive
Harmful: causes actual injury, pain, or disfigurement
Offensive: would be considered offensive to a reasonable person. Unpermitted.
Battery: contact with the plaintiff’s person
includes:
anything that P is touching or holding
Damages for intentional torts (except IIED)
plaintiff can recover nominal damages even if actual damages aren’t proved
plaintiff may recover punitive damages for malicious conduct
Assault elements
-act by D creating a REASONABLE APPREHENSION (knowledge) in the plaintiff
-of an IMMEDIATE battery
(apparent ability to commit a battery is enough)
(words are not enough, but can negate reasonable apprehension or immediacy)
False imprisonment elements
-act or omission. By D that confines or restrains P
-P must be confined to a bounded area (P must know if confinement or be harmed by it)
(time period of confinement is irrelevant)
Sufficient methods of confinement or restraint for false imprisonment
-physical barriers
-physical force directed against P, immediate family, or personal property
-direct threats of force
-indirect or implied threats of force
-failure to release P when under a legal duty to do so
-invalid use of legal authority
INSUFFICIENT: moral pressure, future threats
Bounded area for false imprisonment
- freedom of movement must be limited in all directions
- must be no reasonable means of escape known to P
IIED elements
-act by D amounting to extreme and outrageous conduct (transcends all bounds of decency tolerated in a civilized society)
-P must suffer SEVERE emotional distress
(recklessness will satisfy intent here)
(mere insults are not considered outrageous)
Damages for IIED
- actual damages required (severe emotional distress)
- only intentional tort that requires actual damages
Hallmarks for outrageousness for IIED
- conduct is repetitive in nature
- D is a common carrier or innkeeper
- P is a member of a fragile class (child, elderly, pregnant)
- targeting a known sensitivity
IIED: causation in bystander cases
D’s conduct is directed at a third person and P suffers severe emotional distress because of it
P may recover by
-showing either the prima facie elements OR
-1. P was present when injury occurred 2. the distress resulted in bodily harm or P is related to the third person AND 3. D knew these facts
Trespass to land elements
-physical invasion (by person or object)
-of land (includes air above and soil below to a reasonable distance)
(intangibles like noise or odor = nuisance, not trespass)
(awareness of boundary NOT required)
(deliberate act is required)
Claim for trespass to land belongs to the person with the right to ____ the property
POSSESS
Damages for trespass to land
P can recover without showing actual injury to the land
Trespass to chattels elements
-act by D that interferes with P’s right of possession in a chattel
Interference can be:
-intermeddling (vandalism)
-dispossession (theft)
(actual damages are required (this can include damage to possessory right))
Intent required for trespass to chattels and conversion
Intent to trespass isn’t required; intent to do the act of interference is all that is needed
D’s mistaken belief that they own the chattel is no defense.
Conversion elements
- act by D that interferes with P’s right of possession in a chattel
- interference is serious enough in nature or consequences to warrant that D pay the chattel’s full value (operates like a forced sale)
Remedies for conversion
Damages (fair market value at time of conversion)
Replevin (possession)
Defenses to intentional torts
- consent
- protective privileges
- necessity
Consent
- defense to all intentional torts
- must have legal capacity
- D may be liable if they exceed scope of consent given
Express consent exceptions
- mistake if D knew of mistake and took advantage of it
- consent induced by fraud if it goes to an essential matter, but not a collateral matter
- consent obtained by duress, unless it is only threats of future action or future economic deprivation
Implied consent
that which a reasonable person would infer from social custom and usage or the plaintiff’s conduct
body language consent consistent with social norms
Protective privileges/defenses
-self-defense
-defense of others
-defense of property
Ask: did D have proper timing? (immediate response) Did D have reasonable belief that threat is genuine?
Only REASONABLE force is allowed (necessary under the circumstances)
Self-defense
When a person reasonably believes that they are being or are about to be attacked, they may use such force as is reasonably necessary to protect against injury
- majority rule: no duty to retreat
- not available to the aggressor
- reasonable mistake permitted
Defense of others
One may use force to defend another when they reasonably believe that the other person could have used force to defend themselves
- reasonable mistake permitted
- can use the amount of force they could have used if they were the one threatened