Introduction to English Law of Obligations– Law of Torts (Part 1) Dr Jan Halberda...

Introduction to English Law of Obligations© Jan Halberda(UJ)

Introduction to English Law of Obligations– Law of Torts (Part 1)

Dr Jan Halberda(jan.halberda@uj.edu.pl)

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/