Choosing the Right CBSE School A Comprehensive Guide for Parents
EUT440 LAW 2 (Tort)
1.
2. Definition and Purpose of Tort Law
A tort is a civil wrong other than a
breach of contract
Tort law defines what constitutes a legal
injury and establishes the circumstances
under which one person may be held
responsible (i.e., liable) for another’s
injury
3. Categories of Torts
Intentional torts – torts against the person (assault,
battery, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of
mental suffering, malicious prosecution, libel and
slander, and fraud) and property torts (trespass to
property, trespass to chattels and conversion)
Negligence – covers the full scope of human
activity (e.g., product liability, “slip and fall”,
negligent misrepresentation, professional
negligence, etc.)
Strict liability torts – nuisance
4. The Evolution of Tort Law
Tort law has evolved over time based on
case law
Additional torts have also been created by
statutes (e.g., occupiers liability,
competition law)
Perceived failures of the common law to
address the needs of society through tort
law have led to additional statutory reforms
(e.g., workers’ compensation and
negligence legislation)
5. Elements of a Negligence Claim
Duty of care owed by defendant to the plaintiff
according to the proximity (i.e., “neighbour”)
principle
Breach of the duty of care by a failure to meet the
required standard of care, which is that of the
reasonable person in the circumstances
Causal link between the defendant’s act or
omission and the plaintiff’s loss (i.e., damages)
Damages were reasonably foreseeable at the time
of the breach
6. The Duty and Standard of Care Owed
by Professionals
Professionals have a duty to exercise the
skill, care and diligence that may
reasonably be expected of a person (i.e.,
a professional person in a particular
discipline) of ordinary competence,
measured by the professional standards
of the time
7. Negligence and Economic Harm
Negligence can involve compensable
harm that is purely economic in nature
This is often, though not exclusively, the
situation in cases involving negligent
misrepresentation
8. Defences to Negligence Claims
No duty of care owed – the duty of care can only
arise in circumstances involving reasonably
foreseeable harm and proximity sufficient to
establish a duty of care and where there are no
policy reasons that would negate the
establishment of the duty of care
No breach of the standard of care
No damages were caused by a breach of the
standard of care
Damages were not reasonably foreseeable
Limitation period has expired
9. Elements of Negligent
Misrepresentation
Duty of care exists based on a special relationship (e.g.,
professional person and lay person who may reasonably rely
on the professional person’s professional expertise)
Professional person makes representation that is untrue,
inaccurate or misleading
The representation is made negligently
Person receiving the representation relies on it in a
reasonable manner
The reliance is detrimental and damages result
10. Defences to Claims for Negligent
Misrepresentation
No duty of care is owed – (e.g., plaintiff is not a
member of the class of individuals that professional
knew would rely on the misrepresentation)
Plaintiff’s reliance is not reasonable (e.g., the
representation was part of a discussion and not a
formal opinion or the professional limited liability
through a disclaimer clause)
Professional’s negligent misrepresentation did not
cause damages
Limitation period has expired
11. Objective of Damages for
Commission of Tort
To restore the plaintiff to the position he
or she would have been in if the tort had
not been committed
12. Damage Awards for
Commission of Tort
General damages – compensation for non-monetary loss or
harm suffered as a result of the commission of the tort that
was foreseeable when the tort was committed (e.g., pain and
suffering, mental distress or damage to reputation)
Special damages – compensation for the quantifiable
monetary losses suffered by the plaintiff that include direct
losses (such as amounts the plaintiff had to spend to try to
mitigate problems), consequential or economic losses (such
as lost profits in a business), and punitive damages, where
applicable
Punitive damages – awarded to punish certain types of
behaviour (e.g., fraud or bad faith)
Plaintiffs have a duty to mitigate their damages
13. Vicarious Liability
In certain cases, one person can be
liable for the harm cause by another
One example relevant to professional
liability is an employer’s liability for the
actions or omissions of its employees