3/25/16
Announcements
— PracticeExamonMon4/11
TortsSoFar…
1.
Introduction
2.
IntentionalTorts
3.
DefensestoIntentionalTorts
4.
Negligence
5.
CausationinNegligenceActions
6.
Defenses(andPartialDefenses)to
NegligenceActions
1
3/25/16
DefensestoNegligence
A.  ContributoryNegligence
B.  ComparativeFault
C.  AssumptionoftheRisk
D.  StatutesofLimitation
E.  StatutesofRepose
Butterfieldv.Forrester
— contributorynegligence
— whenplaintiff’sfailuretoexercise
reasonablecareisacauseof
plaintiff’sinjury
— completebartorecovery
2
3/25/16
Daviesv.Mann
— lastclearchancedoctrine
Burlesonv.RSRGroup
—  contributorynegligencestillaliveandwell
—  productsliabilityaction(basedonAEMLD)
—  alldefendantsinthechainofmanufacture/
distribution
—  §402A2ndRestatementTorts
—  “defectiveconditionunreasonably
dangerous”
3
3/25/16
Burleson(con’t)
—  contributorynegligence--
— plaintiff’sfailuretoexercisereasonablecare
—  contributorynegligenceasaMOL
(accordingtoBurlesonmajority)–
— undisputedevidenceofplaintiff’sconscious
appreciationofdanger
— dissent–
— noevidenceofdecedent’sactualawareness
— leaveitforjury
DefensestoNegligence
A. ContributoryNegligence
B.  ComparativeFault
C.  AssumptionoftheRisk
D. StatutesofLimitations
E.  StatutesofRepose
4
3/25/16
McIntyrev.Balentine
ComparativeFaultSchemes
•  Pure
•  Plaintiff’srecoveryreducedby
percentageoffaultattributable
toplaintiff
5
3/25/16
ComparativeFaultSchemes(con’t)
•  Modified“notasgreatas”(“49%rule”)
•  Reducedby%ageofplaintiff’sfaultaslong
asplaintiff’sfaultisnotasgreatas
defendant’sfault
•  Ifplaintiff’sfaultisequaltoorgreaterthan
defendant’sfault,plaintiff’srecoveryis
completelybarred
•  50/50split,plaintiffbarred
ComparativeFaultSchemes(con’t)
•  Modified“notgreaterthan”(“50%rule”)
•  Reducedby%ageofplaintiff’sfaultaslongas
plaintiff’sfaultisnotgreaterthanthefaultof
defendant
•  Ifplaintiff’sfaultisgreaterthandefendant’sfault,
plaintiff’srecoveryiscompletelybarred
•  50/50split,plaintiffrecovers
6
3/25/16
DefensestoNegligence
A.  ContributoryNegligence
B.  ComparativeFault
1.  Pure
2.  Modified
a)
b)
“notasgreatas”(49%rule)
“notgreaterthan”(50%rule)
C.  AssumptionoftheRisk
D.  StatutesofLimitations
E.  StatutesofRepose
Hockemav.J.S.
— additur?
— “notgreaterthan”jurisdiction
— multipledefendants?
— derivativeclaim?
7
3/25/16
DefensestoNegligence
A.  ContributoryNegligence
B.  ComparativeFault
C.  AssumptionoftheRisk
D.  StatutesofLimitations
E.  StatutesofRepose
AssumptionoftheRisk
— completebartorecovery
— maybeexpressorimplied
8
3/25/16
Wirtzv.Gillogly
— impliedprimaryassumptionoftherisk
—  specificrisk
—  createdbydefendant’snegligence
—  aboutwhichplaintiffwasactuallyaware
— e.g.,knowledge/appreciationofmagnitude
ofrisk
—  voluntarilyencounteredbyplaintiff
Wirtzv.Gillogly
— impliedprimaryassumptionoftherisk
—  specificrisk
—  createdbydefendant’snegligence
—  aboutwhichplaintiffwasactuallyaware
— and
—  voluntarilyencounteredbyplaintiff
9
3/25/16
DefensestoNegligence
A.  ContributoryNegligence
B.  ComparativeFault
C.  AssumptionoftheRisk
D.  StatutesofLimitations
E.  StatutesofRepose
AssumptionoftheRisk
• πVoluntaryencountersrisk
• πisactuallyawareofspecificrisk
• πappreciatesmagnitudeoftherisk
•  riskcreatedbydefendant’snegligence
10
3/25/16
Turnerv.MandalaySports
— whetherAORsurvivedadoptionof
comparativefaultinNV?
— nolongeraffirmativedefenseinNV
— AORincorporatedintocomparativefault
DefensestoNegligence
A.  ContributoryNegligence
B.  ComparativeFault
C.  AssumptionoftheRisk
D.  StatutesofLimitation
E.  StatutesofRepose
11
3/25/16
Genrichv.OHICInsur.Co.
—  SOL–3yearsfromdateof“injury”
— 7/24/2003–surgery
— 8/8/2003–spongediscovered(2ndsurgery)
— 8/11/2003–deathofdecedent
— 8/9/2006–lawsuitfiled
Genrichv.OHICInsur.Co.
—  SOL–3yearsfromdateof“injury”
— 7/24/2003–surgery
— 8/8/2003–spongediscovered(2ndsurgery)
— 8/11/2003–deathofdecedent
— 8/9/2006–lawsuitfiled
12
3/25/16
StatutesofLimitation
—  AccrualRule
—
—
—
—
generalrule
SOLbeginstorunwhenharmoccurs
a/k/aoccurrencedoctrine
a/k/atime-of-damagerule
—  DiscoveryRule
—  SOLbeginstorunwhenplaintiffknowsor
shouldhaveknownoftheinjury
—  subjecttotolling
Orlakv.LoyolaUniv.Health
—  dates
—  1989–treated
—  2000–discoveredHCV
—  2002–filedlawsuit
—  statuteofrepose
—  limitstimeduringwhichaCOAmayarise
—  exceptions(inthisjuris)
—  fraudulentconcealment
—  equitableestoppel
13
3/25/16
Limitationv.Repose
StatutesofLimitation
•  DatebywhichCOAmustbefiled
•  Limitsthetimebywhichacauseofactionmust
befiled
•  subjecttotolling
StatutesofRepose
—  PeriodafterwhichCOAcannotbebrought,even
ifbeforeplaintiffdiscoversinjury
—  Limitsthetimeduringwhichacauseofaction
canarise
—  generallynotsubjecttotolling
Negligence
1. Duty
2. Breach
3. Causation
a)  CIF
b)  proximate/legalcause
4. Harm
14
3/25/16
AdvancedTopics
A.  PrivityofContract
B.  FailuretoAct
C.  PureEconomicLoss
D. NegligentInflictionofEmotionalDistress
E.  WrongfulLifeandWrongfulBirth
F.  OwnersandOccupiersofLand
PrivityofContract
— Privity?
— Winterbottomv.Wright
15
3/25/16
MacPhersonv.BuickMotorCo.
— Privityrequired?
— Questionoflaworfact?
— “putthesourceoftheobligation…in
thelaw”
— Dissent–previouscourts“allwrong”?
Clagettv.Dacy
— legalmalpracticeaction?
— privityrequired?
— exceptions?
16