Tort Law And Criminal Law And Contract Law: Concept Questions
- ISBN-10
- 1691185086
- ISBN-13
- 9781691185085
- Pages
- 222
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2019-09-05
- Author
- Johnny Ch Lok
Description
(10)Strict liability torts and Vicarious liabilityStrict LiabilityStrict or absolute liability is the legal responsibility for damage or injury, even if the person found strictly liable was not at fault. In order to prove strict liability in tort, plaintiff needs to prove only that the tort happened and that the defendant was responsible for the act or omission. In the case of strict liability in the USA, neither good faith nor the fact that the defendant took all possible precautions is a valid defense. A common example of strict liability is imposing product liability in the case of defectively manufactured products.Strict liability applies especially in cases involving hazardous or dangerous activities.Generally, liability based on a tort only arises where the defendant either intended to cause harm to the plaintiff or in situations where the defendant is negligent. However, in some areas, liability can arise even when there is no intention to cause harm or negligence. For example, when a contractor uses dynamite which causes debris to be thrown onto the land of another and damages a landowner's house, the landowner may recover damages from the contractor even if the contractor was not negligent and did not intend to cause any harm. Basically, society is saying that the activity is so dangerous to the public that there must be liability. However, society is not going so far as to outlaw the activity.Example: Acme Construction Company was constructing a highway. It was necessary to blast rock with dynamite. The corporation's employees did this with the greatest of care. In spite of theirprecautions, some flying fragments of rock damaged a neighboring house. The owner of the house sued the corporation for damages. The corporation raised the defense that the owner was suing for tort damages and that such damages could not be imposed because the corporation had been free from fault. Was this defense valid? No. While ordinarily fault is the basis of tort liability, there are cases in which absolute liability is imposed on the actor. This means that when harm is caused, it is no defense that none was intended or that due care had been exercised to prevent the harm.Other examples of absolute liability situations would be harm caused by storage of flammable gas and explosives, factories which produce dangerous fumes or smoke in populated areas, and the production of nuclear material. Vicarious liability is the responsibility of the superior for the acts of their subordinate. It is the responsibility of a third party who has the right, ability or duty to control the activities of a violator.Typically liability flows from the relationship of master and servant. The relationship includes thepower to direct the servant in the execution of the duties of his/her employment, and to control theacts that no injury is done to third persons.An employer can be held vicariously liable for an employee's tortious act against the person orproperty of a third party in a transaction of the employer's business. If a negligent act is committed by an employee acting within the general scope of her or his employment, the employer will be held liable for damages. For example, if the driver of a gasoline delivery truck runs a red light on the way to a gas station and strikes another car, causing injury, the gasoline delivery company will be responsible for the damage if the driver is found to be negligent.
