introduction to english law of obligations– law of torts (part 1) dr jan halberda...
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Introduction to English Law of Obligations© Jan Halberda(UJ)
Introduction to English Law of Obligations– Law of Torts (Part 1)
Dr Jan Halberda([email protected])
Introduction to English Law of Obligations© Jan Halberda(UJ)
Law of Obligations
• Contracts
• Torts (Delicts)
• Unjust Enrichment
Introduction to English Law of Obligations© Jan Halberda(UJ)
Wrongful acts
Crimes Criminal court, Penal law
guilty or not guily
Torts – Delicts – Civil wrongsCivil court, Civil/Private law
liable or not liable
Introduction to English Law of Obligations© Jan Halberda(UJ)
Parties in tort
• Wrongdoer / Tortfeasor
• Victim
Introduction to English Law of Obligations© Jan Halberda(UJ)
Liability in tort – essential elements
Infringment of rights
Fault or blame on the part of defendant
Loss suffered by the plaintiff
Introduction to English Law of Obligations© Jan Halberda(UJ)
Liability in tort – essential elements
• As a rule: Fault or blame on the part of defendant
• Exception: Strict liability torts –- dangerous things escaping from land (Rylands
v. Fletcher - 1868); - dangerous animals; - some statutory duties
Introduction to English Law of Obligations© Jan Halberda(UJ)
Liability in tort – essential elements
• As a rule: Loss suffered by the plaintiff
• Exceptions: Torts actinable per se, ie: without proof of loss –
• libel, • trespass to land,
(-> lead only to nominal damages)
Introduction to English Law of Obligations© Jan Halberda(UJ)
Liability in tort – essential elements
• Damage to the property• Injury to the person [pain and suffering; loss of
ability to pursue previous activities or interest; loss of actual or prospective earnings; medical expenses]
• Financial loss
Introduction to English Law of Obligations© Jan Halberda(UJ)
Remoteness of damage
• Link between wrongful act and resulting injury.
• Chain of events. • Reasonably foreseeable damage
Ruling: Wagon Mound Case (1961)
Introduction to English Law of Obligations© Jan Halberda(UJ)
Remoteness of damage
• Wagon Mound Case (1961)
• Welding:
Introduction to English Law of Obligations© Jan Halberda(UJ)
Remoteness of damage
• Novus actus interveniens /hospital treatment of car accident victim/
• Defendant must take victims as he finds them/Eggskull rule/
Ruling : R v Blaue (1975)
Introduction to English Law of Obligations© Jan Halberda(UJ)
Defences
• Statutory authority/Noisy railway/
• Inevitable accident/Electric cables damaged
during excavations/• Act of God
/Bridges broken after lakes burst due to rainfall/
Introduction to English Law of Obligations© Jan Halberda(UJ)
Defences
• Consent /spectator injured while
watching motor race/
• Contributory negligence /lady locked in toilet/
Introduction to English Law of Obligations© Jan Halberda(UJ)
Negligence
• Defendant owed plaintiff a legal duty of care.
• The duty was broken.
• Damage was suffered in consequence.
Introduction to English Law of Obligations© Jan Halberda(UJ)
Duty of care
• Neighbour rule • [any person closely affected by your conduct,
and whom you should reasonably forsee might be injured by you]
• Donoghue v.Stevenson (1932)/snail in a bottle/
Introduction to English Law of Obligations© Jan Halberda(UJ)
Duty of care
• Hedley Byrne v. Heller and Partners (1963) /careless bank reference
on client’s credit/• Rondel v. Worsley (1969)
/public policy reasons; lawyer not liable/
Introduction to English Law of Obligations© Jan Halberda(UJ)
Breach of duty
• Standard of care• Reasonable prudent person
/Bolton v. Stone (1951)/
• Onus of proof • Res ipsa loquitor
/planes usually do not crash/