Tort Law

The Elements of a Negligence Action

1.  THE STANDARD OF CARE   

The Common Law Standard of Care: The Reasonable Person Test  

Factors Considered in Determining Breach of the Standard of Care

Probability and Severity of the Harm

Concept of Social Utility        

SPECIAL STANDARDS OF CARE

Standard Expected of Professionals

THE ROLE OF CUSTOM          

2.  CAUSATION

ESTABLISHED EXCEPTIONS TO THE BUT-FOR TEST

Multiple negligent defendants rule   

•          The learned intermediary rule

•          Informed consent

Recent Attempts to Modify the But-For Test

Materially Increasing Risk     

MULTIPLE CAUSES     

Independent Insufficient Causes       

3.  PROOF OF NEGLIGENCE     

THE BURDEN OF PROOF IN A NEGLIGENCE ACTION 

Note: Highway Traffic Act s.  193

Parental Responsibility Act    

Directly Caused Injury: Unintended Trespass

Res Ipsa Loquitur – Circumstantial Evidence

NOVEL APPROACHES TO THE PROBLEM OF PROOF

4.  THE DUTY OF CARE: GENERAL PRINCIPLES

FORESEEABLE RISK OF INJURY           

NONFEASANCE: DUTIES OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION   

Good Samaritan Act 2001      

DUTY TO CONTROL THE CONDUCT OF OTHERS

Section 39 Liquor Licence Act, 1990  

Whether Employer is Liable  

SPECIAL DUTIES OF CARE      

DUTY OF CARE OWED TO RESCUERS

DUTIES OWED FOR INJURIES PRIOR TO BIRTH          

Preconception Wrongs          

Wrongful Birth and Wrongful Life

NEGLIGENT INFLICTION OF NERVOUS SHOCK           

5.  REMOTENESS OF DAMAGES          

Test of Directness v. Foreseeability

INTERVENING CAUSES           

6.  ASSESSMENT OF DAMAGES           

Preliminary Issues in the Assessment of Damages   

Damages for Personal Injuries           

Pecuniary Loss: Future Care  

Non- Pecuniary Losses           

J.  Cassels, Remedies: The Law of Damages

Change in Courts of Justice Act 1990

SURVIVAL OF ACTIONS AND DEPENDANT`S CLAIMS FOR WRONGFUL DEATH OR INJURY  

Ontario Trustee Act   

Fatal Accidents Legislation    

The Death of a Dependent Family Member

Collateral Benefits     

7.  DEFENCES IN A NEGLIGENCE CLAIM

Contributory Negligence       

Ontario Negligence Act 1990 

VOLUNTARY ASSUMPTION OF RISK

ILLEGALITY     

8.  SPECIAL DUTIES OF CARE: NEGLIGENT MISREPRESENTATION      

9.  RECOVERY OF PURE ECONOMIC LOSS IN NEGLIGENCE    

PRODUCT QUALITY CLAIMS   

New Categories of Economic Loss

BATTERY, ASSAULT AND THE INTENTIONAL INFLICTION OF MENTAL SUFFERING   

Liability of Children/Mental disorder

10.  BATTERY AND THE DEFENCE OF CONSENT

ASSAULT         

THE INTENTIONAL INFLICTION OF NERVOUS SHOCK

11.  COMMON LAW TORT OF DISCRIMINATION        

Human Rights Code, R.S.O.  1990 –  

12.  INFORMED CONSENT AND A DOCTOR’S DUTY OF DISCLOSURE

Children         

Saskatchewan

Healthcare Consent Act (1996)

Therapeutic privilege Connection to Informed Consent       

13.  THE TORT LIABILITY OF PUBLIC AUTHORITIES     

The Use of Statutes in Common Law Negligence     

Statutory Duty

Statutory Power

14.  VICARIOUS LIABILITY       

Statutory Vicarious Liability  

Agency

Non-Delegable Duties

15.  TORT LAW: THOERIES, CRITICISMS AND ALTERNATIVES

No Fault          

Civil Recovery of Damages in Tort in Overall Compensation Schemes (Supplement)