Torts Flashcards
Licensee
Person who enters land w/ permission for own purpose or business rather than for benefit of owner; Also Social Guest
Duty To protect against: (All KNOWN Traps)
o 1- (natural or artificial) Condition CONCEALED from licensee
AND
o 2- Condition is one D KNEW of in advance
No duty for D to inspect
No duty outside scope of invitation in different part of property
Invitee
Person enters w/ permission and confers econ. Benefit,
o OR land open to public as a whole (invitee at Mall)
Duty to warn or repair - if 2 part test (Reasonably knowable Traps on Land):
o 1- Dangerous condition concealed from Invitee
o 2- Dangerous condition Prop possessor either a) KNEW of in advance
o OR b) could’ve discovered through reasonable inspection (should’ve known)
Necessity Privilege Applies to…
privilege to interfere w/ real or personal prop of another where reasonably necessary to avert imminent harm
applies ONLY to 3 property torts (Trespass to land, Trespass to chattels, & conversion
Public, and Private Necessity (D liable for damage caused)
Pure Comparative Neg
P can recover no matter how much her fault was.
Partial Comparative Neg
plaintiff’s recovery will be barred if her negligence passes a threshold level of 49 or 50% (depending on juris). Combined Ds? plaintiff must still be less at fault than the COMBINED fault of Ds.
Most states have retained joint and several liability, whereby the plaintiff can recover all of her damages from either defendant. After the plaintiff recovers from one of the defendants, the paying defendant can then go after the nonpaying defendant for contribution.
Last Chance Doctrine - Inattentive Peril
Pf can recover despite his own contributory negligence under the doctrine of last clear chance. Under this rule, the person with the last clear chance to avoid an accident, who fails to do so, is liable for negligence. In effect, last clear chance is the plaintiff’s rebuttal against the defense of contributory negligence
If P has placed himself in INATTENTIVE peril (a position from which he could extricate himself if he were attentive), the defendant will be liable only if D actually KNOWS of the plaintiff’s predicament. (NOT liable if she only should have known of the peril.
Last Chance Doctrine - Helpless Peril
If a plaintiff has placed himself in a position of HELPLESS peril (a position from which he cannot extricate himself), the defendant is liable if she either had actual knowledge of the plaintiff’s peril or should have known of the peril.
Last Chance Doc - Exception
a defendant who was negligent prior to the accident is not liable if the plaintiff was contributorily negligent.
Scope of Assumption of Risk
Defense to reckless conduct. & wanton conduct, which is essentially gross negligence. Assumption of risk, however, is NOT a defense to intentional torts.
Knowingly and voluntarily assuming risk.
Assault
an act intended to cause Reasonable Apprehension (expectation) of Imminent harmful Contact; need intent and causation
Battery
act intended to cause harmful or offensive contact to Plaintiff or his person; Does NOT require damages; nominal damages are allowed
Ex.(could include removing P’s Chair as he sits, pushes bike as you sit on it,
Act in Concert
Creates Joint and Several Liab among all parties
False Imprisonment
1) Act (or Omission if spc duty) by D intended to 2) confine Vic w/in fixed boundaries and 3) causation • P Must be Conscious of Confinement • OR Harmed by it No reasonable means of escape • Length of confinement irrelevant.
transferred intent torts
A. Transferred Intent Applies (from person to person, or Tort to Tort) • 1. Assault • 2. Battery • 3. False Imprisonment • 4. Trespass to Land • 5. Trespass to Chattels
Torts damages Required
- Negligence
- IIED
- Trespass To Chattels
- Conversion
What are the Intentional torts?
All Babies Find interesting Teddies To Cuddle:
(7) Assault, Battery, False Imprisonment, IIED, Trespass to Land, Trespass to Chattels, Conversion
- No Incapacity Defense
Private Necessity
Qualified privilege to interfere w/ real or personal prop of another where reasonably necessary to avert imminent harm that is substantially more serious than invasion; NO liab for Trespass, but YES still liab for Damages
Conversion
act of Dominion and Control, intended to cause serious interference w/ P’s right to immediate possession.
• Remedy – fair market value of converted item at time of conversion – forced sale (NOT cost of replacement)
• “recover the board’s value” is signal for conversion
• INTEND – just means intend the consequences of act (ex. To take backgammon board)
o MISTAKE is NO DEFENSE
I can’t do stupid shit
Intent, causes, destruction of serious/substantial interference w/ P’s chattel.
Duty
ordinary duty to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances (for a person w/ those physical characteristics) Mental Deficiencies NOT relevant
Child standard of Reasonable Care
below 5 - NO duty
Ages 5 and UP: same education, intelligence, experience of child that age; doesn’t apply if adult activity
Attractive nuisance
(trespassing children doc); Jury usually must determine if Doc applies…
• Possessor of land is Subject to liab, for harm to trespassing children if:
o 1. Artificial dangerous condition on land (mine shaft)
o 2. Possessor knows or should know kids likely to trespass
o 3. bc of age, child fails to Appreciate danger or risk involved in specific act causing injury (often tested, subjective, THIS child)
o 4. Utility of maintain condition is SLIGHT compared to risks involved
-child need not have been harmed by what attracted him
S/L
S/L –(Abnormally dangerous activities, ultra hazardous activity, wild animal)
-Breach of absolute duty of care
-Actual Cause
-Proximate cause (type of harm expected)
Fleeing from the danger is included
-Damages!
Malice
knowing falsity or reckless disregard for truth (defamation)
o BOP - Private person, matter of Public Concern Defamation
Need to show Neg
Defamation
Tends to adversely affects Reputation
D – defamatory statement of Fact (tends to hurt reputation)
P – publication of statement to any TP who reasonably understands
D – Damages- general [injury to rep presumed] & special[pecuniary loss]
• Pecuniary loss NOT required for libel or slander per se
P – P must prove FAULT and FALSITY
If P is Public Official/figure –
• need actual malice (knowing falsity or reckless disregard for truth)
Private person, matter of Public Concern –
• need NEGLICENCE
Private person private concern –
• Need mere publication
D – Defenses (truth or privilege [qualified or absolute is fine])
Invasion of Privacy Torts– 4
- Commercial appropriation
- False light
- Public disclosure of private Facts
- Intrusion on Physical Seclusion
• Publication required for 1-3
Truth is NO defense
Special Damages NOT required
Privacy actions do NOT survive death.
-Newsworthy is DEFENSE for private facts disclosure
PRIVATE NUISANCE
Subtl and unreasonable interference w/ P’s use and enjoyment of his property;
Substantial = offensive, inconvenient, annoying to the average person in the community (no hypersensitivity)
Unreasonable? = balance severity of the injury against the utility of D’s conduct
-Reasonable Self Help/Abatement available to P after Notice and D’s refusal to act
Factors to determine if Feasible Altv Design (S/L Defect)
- Usefulness and desirability of the product;
- Availability of safer alternative products;
- The dangers of the product that have been identified by the time of trial;
- Likelihood and probable seriousness of injury;
- Obviousness of the danger;
- Normal public expectation of danger (especially for established products);
- Avoidability of injury by care in use of the product (including the role of instructions and warnings); and
- Feasibility of eliminating the danger without seriously impairing the product’s function or making it unduly expensive.
NOT Gov standards of compliance
breach of Mercantibility requires
seller is in business of that product
breach of Express Warranty
warranty must be part of the orig bargain
Implied warranty protection extends to…
a buyer’s family, household, and guests who suffer personal injury. (UCC)