Essentials of Torts

by Statsky, William P.

• ISBN13: 9780766811577
• ISBN10: 0766811573
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-12-13
• Publisher: Cengage Learning

Summary

"Essentials of Torts, 2nd Edition" provides a condensed version of Statsky's "Personal Injury Litigation, 4th Edition" with a greater focus on paralegal roles in tort litigation. It is a comprehensive overview of the law of torts and serves as an invaluable guide for paralegal and legal secretary students, as well as an on-the-job refresher for anyone working in the law of torts. Numerous charts, checklists, drawings and other practical tools are provided to help the reader gain a better understanding of the presented material and additional case studies provide a look at the current "hot topic" legal issues in the field.

Table of Contents

Introduction to Tort Law and Practice	1	(12)
Scope	1	(1)
Definitions and Purposes	1	(2)
Elements of All the Torts	3	(4)
Categories of Torts	7	(2)
Introduction to Causation	9	(1)
Tort Law Online	9	(4)
Foreseeability in Tort Law	13	(10)
Introduction	13	(1)
Defining Foreseeability	14	(1)
Foreseeability Spectrum	14	(1)
Objective Standard	15	(1)
Phrasing the Foreseeability Question	15	(2)
Foreseeability Determination ``Formula''	17	(3)
Review of Steps to Determine Foreseeability	20	(3)
Battery	23	(10)
Introduction	23	(4)
Act	27	(1)
Person	27	(1)
Intent	28	(1)
Harmful or Offensive Contact	29	(1)
Consent and Privilege	30	(3)
Assault	33	(8)
Introduction	33	(4)
Act	37	(1)
Apprehension	37	(1)
Harmful or Offensive	37	(1)
Transferred Intent	38	(1)
Assault and Civil Rights	39	(2)
False Imprisonment and False Arrest	41	(14)
Introduction	41	(1)
False Imprisonment	41	(8)
False Arrest	49	(6)
Misuse of Legal Proceedings	55	(10)
Introduction	55	(1)
Malicious Prosecution	56	(5)
Wrongful or Unjustified Civil Proceedings	61	(1)
Abuse of Process	62	(3)
Infliction of Emotional Distress	65	(14)
Introduction	65	(1)
Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress	66	(6)
Tort Law and the Impeachment of the President	72	(2)
Media Defendants and the Constitution	74	(1)
Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress	75	(4)
Conversion and Trespass to Chattels	79	(8)
Introduction	79	(4)
Damages	83	(1)
Kind of Interference	83	(1)
Mistake Defense	84	(3)
Strict Liability	87	(10)
Introduction	87	(1)
Animals	88	(1)
Strict Liability for Abnormally Dangerous Conditions or Activities	89	(8)
Negligence: A Summary	97	(8)
Introduction	97	(1)
Negligence and Breach of Duty	97	(1)
Negligence and Insurance	98	(1)
Shorthand Definition	98	(1)
Negligence Checklist	98	(7)
Negligence: Element I: Duty	105	(10)
General Rule on Duty	105	(1)
Unforeseeable Plaintiff	106	(2)
Nonfeasance and Special Relationships	108	(4)
Gratuitous Undertaking	112	(1)
Protection for the Good Samaritan	113	(2)
Negligence: Element II: Breach of Duty (Unreasonableness)	115	(44)
Standard of Care: Reasonableness	115	(2)
Breach-of-Duty (Unreasonableness) Equation	117	(5)
Objective or Subjective Standard?	122	(2)
Res Ipsa Loquitur	124	(4)
Custom and Usage	128	(1)
Violation of a Statute	129	(5)
Compliance with a Statute	134	(2)
Gross Negligence (Unreasonableness) and Willful, Wanton, and Reckless Conduct	136	(1)
Vicarious Liability	136	(8)
Medical Malpractice	144	(5)
Legal Malpractice	149	(10)
Negligence: Element III: Proximate Cause	159	(16)
Introduction	159	(1)
Cause in Fact	160	(5)
Cut-Off Test of Proximate Cause	165	(6)
Overview of Steps Needed to Analyze Proximate Cause	171	(4)
Negligence: Element IV: Damages	175	(12)
Kinds of Damages	175	(2)
Present Value	177	(1)
Pain and Suffering	178	(2)
Software	180	(1)
Property Damage	180	(1)
Doctrine of Avoidable Consequences	181	(1)
Collateral Source Rule	182	(1)
Joint Tortfeasors	183	(1)
Release	184	(1)
Contribution	185	(1)
Indemnity	185	(2)
Negligence: Defenses	187	(12)
Introduction	187	(1)
Contributory Negligence	188	(3)
Last Clear Chance	191	(1)
Comparative Negligence	192	(1)
Assumption of the Risk	193	(6)
Products Liability	199	(28)
Products Liability in the Media	199	(1)
Categories of Defects	200	(1)
Negligence	200	(2)
Misrepresentation	202	(1)
Warranty and Strict Liability	202	(1)
Express Warranty	202	(2)
Sale versus Service	204	(2)
Implied Warranties	206	(3)
Strict Liability in Tort	209	(12)
Tobacco	221	(3)
Reform	224	(3)
Survival and Wrongful Death	227	(6)
Introduction	227	(1)
Survival of Torts Unrelated to Death	227	(2)
Wrongful Death	229	(1)
Avoiding Double Recovery	230	(3)
Torts Against and Within the Family	233	(8)
Torts Derived from Other Torts	233	(2)
Torts Not Derived from Other Torts	235	(1)
Prenatal Injuries	236	(1)
Wrongful Life, Birth, Pregnancy	236	(1)
Wrongful Adoption	237	(1)
Intrafamily Tort Immunity	238	(3)
Torts Connected with Land	241	(18)
Introduction	241	(1)
Trespass to Land	242	(3)
Nuisance	245	(3)
Traditional Negligence Liability	248	(11)
Defamation	259	(18)
Introduction	259	(5)
Defamatory Statement	264	(2)
Extrinsic Facts	266	(1)
Falsity of the Statement	266	(3)
Of and Concerning the Plaintiff	269	(1)
Publication	269	(1)
Republication	270	(1)
Cyberspace Defamation	271	(1)
Damages	272	(1)
Privilege	273	(1)
SLAPP Suits	274	(1)
``Veggie Libel''	275	(2)
Invasion of Privacy	277	(10)
Four Torts	277	(4)
Intrusion	281	(1)
Appropriation	282	(1)
Public Disclosure of Private Fact	282	(1)
False Light	283	(1)
Media Defendants	284	(3)
Misrepresentation, Tortious Interference, and Other Torts	287	(16)
Misrepresentation	287	(6)
Interference with Contract Relations	293	(2)
Interference with Prospective Advantage	295	(1)
Tortious Interference with Employment (Wrongful Discharge)	296	(1)
Disparagement	296	(2)
Injurious Falsehood	298	(1)
Prima Facie Tort	299	(1)
Bad Faith Liability	299	(1)
Dram Shop Liability	300	(3)
Additional Tort Defenses	303	(22)
Introduction	303	(1)
Consent in Tort Law	304	(3)
Self-Help Privileges	307	(9)
Sovereign Immunity	316	(4)
Official Immunity: The Personal Liability of Government Employees	320	(3)
Charitable Immunity	323	(1)
Intrafamily Tort Immunity	323	(2)
Workers' Compensation	325	(12)
Introduction	325	(1)
On-the-Job Injuries at Common Law	326	(1)
Workers' Compensation Statutes	326	(1)
Injuries and Diseases Covered	327	(6)
Filing a Claim	333	(1)
Benefits Available	334	(1)
Tort Claims Against Third Parties	334	(3)
Appendix Automobile Insurance	337	(2)
Glossary	339	(14)
Index	353