tort law
Injury liability rules
Tort law is the area of civil law dealing with wrongful acts that cause harm to others.
Unlike criminal law, where the state prosecutes offenders, tort law allows injured parties to seek compensation directly from those who harmed them.
Common torts include negligence, defamation, and trespass.
She specialized in tort law, handling personal injury cases.
Obligation to act reasonably
- breachBreaking of agreement
- causationProduction of effects
- damagesCompensation for injury
- standard of careMinimum acceptable professional conduct
foreseeability · reasonable person · assumption of risk · gross negligence · attractive nuisance
Legal responsibility without fault
- product liabilityManufacturer responsibility for defects
- ultrahazardousExceptionally likely to cause injury
- manufacturing defectError introduced during fabrication
- crashworthinessVehicle's ability to protect during collisions
deep pockets · indemnification · contribution · tortfeasor · apportionment
Civil case initiator
- defendantParty facing charges
- complaintExpression of discontent
- answerSolution to query
- discoveryAct of finding something
interrogatories · deposition · summary judgment · trial · verdict · settlement · contingency fee · class action
Harm to a person's body
- medical malpracticeSubstandard care causing injury
- legal malpracticeLawyer's breach of duty
- wrongful deathDeath caused by another's fault
- slip and fallLose footing, then collapse
dog bite · nuisance · public nuisance · defective product · automobile accident · workplace injury · nursing home abuse
Violent offensive act
- batteryPortable electricity storage
- false imprisonmentIllegal restraint of movement
- trespassUnauthorized entry onto property
- conversionAct of changing states
fraud · defamation · libel · slander · invasion of privacy · outrage · self-defense · willful misconduct
Award beyond actual losses
- injunctionCourt-ordered behavioral requirement
- restitutionRestoring what was lost
- pain and sufferingDistress from harm
- structured settlementScheduled compensation payments
duty of care
Obligation to act reasonably
standard of care · foreseeability · reasonable person · assumption of risk · gross negligence · attractive nuisance
strict liability
Legal responsibility without fault
- product liabilityManufacturer responsibility for defects
- ultrahazardousExceptionally likely to cause injury
- manufacturing defectError introduced during fabrication
crashworthiness · deep pockets · indemnification · contribution · tortfeasor · apportionment
plaintiff
Civil case initiator
discovery · interrogatories · deposition · summary judgment · trial · verdict · settlement · contingency fee · class action · personal injury lawyer
personal injury
Harm to a person's body
- medical malpracticeSubstandard care causing injury
- legal malpracticeLawyer's breach of duty
- wrongful deathDeath caused by another's fault
slip and fall · dog bite · nuisance · public nuisance · defective product · automobile accident · workplace injury · nursing home abuse
assault
Violent offensive act
- batteryPortable electricity storage
- false imprisonmentIllegal restraint of movement
- trespassUnauthorized entry onto property
conversion · fraud · defamation · libel · slander · invasion of privacy · outrage · self-defense · willful misconduct · punitive damages
punitive damages
Award beyond actual losses
- injunctionCourt-ordered behavioral requirement
- restitutionRestoring what was lost
- pain and sufferingDistress from harm
- French LawNapoleonic Code, magistrates, judiciary, civil courts, criminal courts
- lawlawyer, lawyers, attorney, attorneys, court
- legallawyer, judge, jury, trial, verdict
- legal systemattorney, landmark cases, criminal cases, lawyers, legal precedents
- lawslaws, statute, ordinance, acts, statutes
- rulesrule, guideline, bylaw, standard, norm
tort lawcriminal law
Statutes defining punishable offenses
criminal prosecution · penal law · contract law · criminal justice · public law