| Intoxication As a Defense to Negligence |
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| Intoxication is not a defense to negligence. A person who is intoxicated when he commits a negligent act will be held to the same standard as a person who is not intoxicated. The actions of an intoxicated person will not be judged by the standard of a reasonably prudent intoxicated person. More... |
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| Custom as Proof of Negligence |
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| In some circumstances, custom may be used as proof of negligence in a personal injury action. For example, a worker in a sawmill is injured when he or she accidentally puts his or her hand onto the blade of an electric saw. More... |
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| Tort Law -- Like an Implied Contract |
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| Apart from legislation granting a right to sue for a specific harm, personal injury law generally consists of tort law and the civil procedure for enforcing it. This article discusses how tort law can be viewed as a series of implied contracts. More... |
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| Mitigation of Damages |
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| Mitigation of damages is sometimes referred to as the doctrine of avoidable consequences. The doctrine requires a plaintiff who is injured by a defendant to take steps to minimize his damages. It applies after the defendant commits the tort but at a time when the plaintiff still has an opportunity to avoid at least part of the consequences. More... |
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| Defamatory Statements |
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| A lawsuit for defamation has the following basic elements: (1) making a false statement; (2) about a person; (3) to others; and (4) actual damages (if the harm to the person is not apparent). There is a fifth element when the person is a public official or public figure. In such a case, the person who made the statement has to have made it with a known or reckless disregard of the truth. This article discusses the first element, making a false statement. A false statement of fact about a person that tends to harm the person's reputation is known as a defamatory statement. More... |
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