Overview of Tort Law

Definition: Tort law deals with civil wrongs that cause harm or loss to individuals, allowing the injured party to seek compensation.
Purpose: To provide relief to victims, deter wrongful conduct, and promote accountability.

Intentional Torts: Deliberate actions causing harm.
- Examples: Assault, battery, false imprisonment, trespass, defamation.
Negligence: Failure to exercise reasonable care, leading to harm.
- Key elements:
  - Duty of care
  - Breach of duty
  - Causation (actual and proximate)
  - Damages
Strict Liability: Liability without fault; the defendant is liable regardless of intent or negligence.
- Common in cases involving defective products, abnormally dangerous activities, etc.

Duty of Care: Legal obligation to avoid causing harm to others.
Breach of Duty: Failure to meet the established standard of care.
Causation: The connection between the breach and the injury.
- Actual Cause: The direct cause of harm.
- Proximate Cause: The extent to which the harm was a foreseeable result of the breach.
Damages: Compensation awarded to the injured party.
- Types: Compensatory (economic and non-economic) and punitive (to punish and deter).

Consent: The injured party agreed to the act causing harm.
Comparative Negligence: The plaintiff's own negligence contributed to the harm; damages are reduced accordingly.
Assumption of Risk: The plaintiff knowingly exposed themselves to danger.

Tort law addresses civil wrongs that inflict harm or loss, enabling victims to seek compensation.
A primary goal is to provide relief to victims while deterring wrongful actions and emphasizing accountability.

Intentional Torts: Involve purposeful actions that cause harm, such as assault, battery, false imprisonment, trespass, and defamation.
Negligence: Arises from a failure to exercise reasonable care, comprising key elements:
- Duty of Care: The legal responsibility to prevent harm.
- Breach of Duty: Deviating from the established standard of care.
- Causation: Links between the breach and the injury, including:
  - Actual Cause: The immediate reason for the harm.
  - Proximate Cause: The foreseeability of harm resulting from the breach.
- Damages: Financial compensation awarded to the injured party.
Strict Liability: Imposes liability without regard to fault, typically in cases involving defective products or dangerous activities.

Duty of Care: Established expectation to avoid causing harm to others.
Breach of Duty: Occurs when an individual fails to fulfill their duty of care.
Causation: Essential connection between the breach and the resulting injury.
Damages: Can be classified into:
- Compensatory Damages: Cover actual financial losses (economic and non-economic).
- Punitive Damages: Intended to punish the violator and deter similar conduct.

Consent: The injured party agreed to the risky action that resulted in harm.
Comparative Negligence: Allocates blame; if the plaintiff's negligence contributed, damages awarded are reduced accordingly.
Assumption of Risk: The plaintiff willingly accepted the inherent dangers involved.

Compensatory Damages: To reimburse the injured party for their actual losses.
Punitive Damages: Aimed at punishing the wrongdoer to prevent future offenses.
Injunctions: Court directives compelling or preventing specific actions.

Safeguards individual rights while enhancing social justice.
Promotes responsible behavior and serves to mitigate harm.
Offers a structured approach for resolving conflicts outside the realm of criminal law.