2/19/16 Negligence A. Duty 1. TheRPP a) Adult b) Child c) Professional EstablishingaStandardofCare Adult RPP Child RuleofLaw Professional Duty Statutefor OtherPurpose Statutefor Negligence 1 2/19/16 TheRPProfessional Objectivestandard(Heathv.SwiftWings) Thereasonableprudentprofessionalin thesameorsimilarcircumstances “professional”? personbelongingtoalearnedprofessionor whoseoccupationrequiresahighlevelof trainingandproficiency Wolskiv.Wandel Legalmalpractice “SOCestablishedbylaw,not contract” Experttestimonyreq’d Unlessw/icommonknowledgeof laypersons 2 2/19/16 Morrisonv.MacNamara Localityrule SOC Hellingv.Carey B<PxL B=simple,inexpensive,harmless, accuratetest P=1in25,000people L=irreversiblelossofvision 3 2/19/16 TheProfessionalSOC Possesslearning,skill,andabilityof reasonable,prudentprofessional(objective) Willusebestjudgment Willuseduecare Whetherpaidornot Scottv.Bradford “Informedconsentdoctrine” Physicianrequiredtoinformpatientabout treatmentprotocol,availablealternatives,and collateralrisks Requiresfulldisclosureofallmaterialrisks BOPonplaintiff Failuretodoso=breachofSOC Negligence Policyconcerns? 4 2/19/16 InformedConsentDoctrine Dutyelementofnegligence Requiresdoctortoinformpatientabout treatmentprotocol,availablealternatives,and collateralrisks Includesinforeresearch,economic,orother personalinterestsinpatient’streatment protocol Requiresfulldisclosureofallmaterialrisks BOPonplaintiff InformedConsentDoctrine Duty Reasonable Physician would disclose (slight majority) Reasonable Patient would want to know (minority and Scott v. Bradford) Objective Causation Reasonable patient would decline treatment (majority and Canterbury) Subjective Causation This plaintiff would have Declined treatment (minority and Scott v. Bradford) Breach Causation Harm 5 2/19/16 InformedConsentDoctrine affirmativedefensesavailable (a/k/aexceptionstodutytoinform) commonknowledge therapeuticprivilege emergency BOPondefendanttopleadandprove Moorev.TheRegentsofUniv.ofCal. Conversion? Negligence research,economic,orotherpersonal interestsinpatient’streatment protocol 6 2/19/16 Moorev.TheRegentsofUniv.ofCal. Breachoffiduciaryduty 1. Fiduciaryobligation 2. Breach 3. Remedy–disgorgementoffees/ economicbenefit DeterminingDuty(SOC) REST(2D)TORTS§285 1. RPPStandard 2. ApplyingaRuleofLaw 3. Applyinglegislationnotexpressly definingSOCtobeusedinanegligence action 4. Applyinglegislationexpressly articulatingSOCinanegligenceaction 7 2/19/16 EstablishingaStandardofCare 1.RPP Duty 2.Ruleof Law 3.Statutefor Non-Tort Purpose 4.Statutefor Negligence Negligence A. Duty 1. TheRPP a) Adult b) Child c) Professional 2. RulesofLaw 3. ApplyingStatuteEnactedforNon-TortPurpose 4. ApplyingNegligenceStatute 8 2/19/16 2.RulesofLaw Baltimore&O.R.v.Goodman Contributorynegligence? “RuleofLaw”– Driverattraintracksmuststop,exit vehicle,andlookforatrain astandardofcare“laiddownonceandforall bythecourts” 9 2/19/16 Pokorav.WabashRailwayCo. “needforcautioninframing standardsofbehaviorthat amounttorulesoflaws” EstablishingaStandardofCare 1.RPP Duty 2RuleofLaw 3.Statutefor Non-Tort Purpose Statutefor Negligence 10 2/19/16 UsingNon-TortStatutetoEstablishDuty 1. WhenMayaNon-TortStatuteBe UsedtoEstablishDuty? Osbornev.McMasters Sanchezv.Wal-Mart 2. WhatistheEffectofProofWhena Non-TortStatuteisUsedtoEstablish Duty? Osbornev.McMasters Mayastatuteenactedfornon-tortpurposeseverbe usedinanegligenceactiontoestablishthestandard ofcare? When? 1. Plaintiffinclassofpersonsstatutedesignedto protectand 2. Harmsufferedistypeofharmstatutedesignedto prevent “negligenceperse”=evidenceofnegligence 11 2/19/16 Negligence A. ElementsofNegligenceAction B. NegligenceFormula C. DeterminingDuty D. ProvingNegligence(Duty/Breach) EstablishingaStandardofCare 1.RPP Duty 2RuleofLaw 3.Statutefor Non-Tort Purpose Statutefor Negligence 12 2/19/16 Sanchezv.Wal-Mart 1. injuredpartyisintheclassofpersons whomthestatuteisintendedto protectand 2. injuryistypeagainstwhichthestatute isintendedtoprevent --dissent–legislativeintent? Stachniewiczv.Mar-Cam 1. injurytoamemberoftheclassof personsintendedtobeprotectedby thelegislationand 2. harmisofkindwhichthestatuteor regulationwasenactedtopreventand 3. appropriatemeasureofcareforcivil liability 13 2/19/16 Perryv.S.N.andS.N. 1. Thepartyseekingtoprovethe violationisamemberoftheclassthe legislatureintendedtoprotectand 2. Thehazardthatoccurredwasonethe legislatureintendedtopreventand 3. Impositionoftortliabilityappropriate UsingNon-TortStatutetoEstablishDuty 1. WhenMayaNon-TortStatuteBeUsedto EstablishDuty? Osbornev.McMasters Sanchezv.Wal-Mart Stachniewiczv.Mar-CamCorp. Perryv.S.N.andS.N. 2. WhatistheEffectofProofWhenaNonTortStatuteisUsedtoEstablishDuty? 14