4/21/16
RestofSemester
—  today–Assignment#33(WrongfulDeath
andSurvival)
—  Mon4/25–Assignment#34(Joinder)
—  Mon4/25(7:30-9:00in209BLB)– Assignment#35(Immunities)
—  Tues4/26–Assignment#36(Vicarious Liability)
—  Wed4/27–reviewsession
PracticeExamTips
—  organize,organize,organize
—  subheadingsarehelpful(e.g.,Driverv.Pedestrian)
—  thenbyfirstcauseofactionanddefense(s)
—  answertoquestionnotaskedisalwayswrong
—  ifyouusecasename,definelegalprincipleforwhichyou
useit
—  lookingformasteryoftorts
—  ifyoudon’ttellme,Idon’tknowthatyouknowit
1
4/21/16
1. HomeownerandNeighborownunfenced,adjoiningclosesofland.
Confusedabouttheboundarylinebetweentheirproperties,Homeowner
mistakenlybeginsparkinghiscaronNeighbor’sproperty.Neighborhas
requestedseveraltimesforHomeownertoremovehiscarfromNeighbor’s
property.Homeownerhasfailedtodoso.Afterafewdaysofthisnonsense,
NeighbordragsHomeowner’scarbackontoHomeowner’spropertyand
unintentionallyruinsthetransmissionashedoesso.Homeownersues
Neighborfortrespasstochattel.Whatresult?
A. Homeownerwillprevailbecauseheneverintendedtotrespasson
neighbor’sland.
B.  Neighborwillprevailifheusedreasonableforceinmovingthecar.
C.  Neighborwilllosebecausehecauseddamagetohomeowner’scar.
D. Homeownerwilllosebecausethedamagetohomeowner’scarwas
unintentional.
1. HomeownerandNeighborownunfenced,adjoiningclosesofland.
Confusedabouttheboundarylinebetweentheirproperties,Homeowner
mistakenlybeginsparkinghiscaronNeighbor’sproperty.Neighborhas
requestedseveraltimesforHomeownertoremovehiscarfromNeighbor’s
property.Homeownerhasfailedtodoso.Afterafewdaysofthisnonsense,
NeighbordragsHomeowner’scarbackontoHomeowner’spropertyand
unintentionallyruinsthetransmissionashedoesso.Homeownersues
Neighborfortrespasstochattel.Whatresult?
A. Homeownerwillprevailbecauseheneverintendedtotrespasson
neighbor’sland.
B.  Neighborwillprevailifheusedreasonableforceinmovingthecar.
C.  Neighborwilllosebecausehecauseddamagetohomeowner’scar.
D. Homeownerwilllosebecausethedamagetohomeowner’scarwas
unintentional.
2
4/21/16
Toddler,atwo-year-oldchildsufferingfromabacterialinfection,receivedaroutinechildhood
vaccinationwithavaccinemanufacturedbyVaco.Shortlyafterreceivingthevaccine,Toddler
spikedaveryhighfever,wentintorespiratoryarrest,anddied.Toddler’sestatesuesVacoin
negligence.Attrial,Toddler’sestateprovidescompetentevidencethatToddlerdiedduetoa
combinationoftheinfectionandthevaccineand,ifeithertoddlerhadnothadaninfectionor
ifToddlerhadnotbeenvaccinated,deathwouldnothaveensued.Regardingthecause-infactelementofthenegligenceaction,hasToddler’sestatesatisfieditsburdenofproduction
toprovethatthevaccinewasacause-in-factofToddler’sdeath?
A. Toddler’sestatehasnotsatisfieditsburdenofproductiontoshowthatthevaccine
wascause-in-factofToddler’sdeath.
B. Toddler’sestatecannotsatisfyitsburdenofproductiontoshowthatthevaccinewas
acause-in-factofToddler’sdeathbecausetheinfectioncontributedtoToddler’sdeath.
C. Toddler’sestatehassatisfieditsburdenofproductiontoshowthatthevaccinewasa
cause-in-factcauseofToddler’sdeath.
D. Toddler’sestatecannotsatisfyitsburdenofproductiontoshowthatthevaccinewas
acause-in-factofToddler’sdeathbecausetheinfectionwasthesolecause-in-factcause
ofToddler’sdeath.
2. Toddler,atwo-year-oldchildsufferingfromabacterialinfection,receivedaroutine
childhoodvaccinationwithavaccinemanufacturedbyVaco.Shortlyafterreceivingthe
vaccine,Toddlerspikedaveryhighfever,wentintorespiratoryarrest,anddied.Toddler’s
estatesuesVacoinnegligence.Attrial,Toddler’sestateprovidescompetentevidencethat
Toddlerdiedduetoacombinationoftheinfectionandthevaccineand,ifeithertoddlerhad
nothadaninfectionorifToddlerhadnotbeenvaccinated,deathwouldnothaveensued.
Regardingthecause-in-factelementofthenegligenceaction,hasToddler’sestatesatisfiedits
burdenofproductiontoprovethatthevaccinewasacause-in-factofToddler’sdeath?
A. Toddler’sestatehasnotsatisfieditsburdenofproductiontoshowthatthevaccine
wascause-in-factofToddler’sdeath.
B. Toddler’sestatecannotsatisfyitsburdenofproductiontoshowthatthevaccinewas
acause-in-factofToddler’sdeathbecausetheinfectioncontributedtoToddler’sdeath.
C. Toddler’sestatehassatisfieditsburdenofproductiontoshowthatthevaccine
wasacause-in-factcauseofToddler’sdeath.
D. Toddler’sestatecannotsatisfyitsburdenofproductiontoshowthatthevaccinewas
acause-in-factofToddler’sdeathbecausetheinfectionwasthesolecause-in-factcause
ofToddler’sdeath.
3
4/21/16
3. Lateonenight,Peteplaceshisloadedpistolonthecoffeetableinthefamilyroomof
hishomethatheshareswithhiswifeandtwoyoungchildren.ThenextafternoonPete’s
10-year-oldson,Nolan,isspendingtimeinthefamilyroomwithhisfriend,Buddy.Nolan
picksupthegunandplayswithit,accidentallycausingittodischarge.Buddyisinjuredby
thegunshot.InanegligenceactionagainstPetebroughtonbehalfofBuddy,canPetebe
heldliablefornegligence?
A. PetecannotbeheldliableinnegligenceforinjuriestoBuddybecausePetenever
intendedforBuddyoranyoneelsetobeinjured.
B. PetecannotbeheldliableinnegligenceforinjuriestoBuddybecauseNolanis
thepersonwhoactuallydischargedthegunandisthereforethesoleproximatecause
ofBuddy’sinjuries.
C. Petemaybeheldliableinnegligencebecauseparentsareliableforinjuries
causedbytheirchildren.
D. PetemaybeheldliableinnegligencebecausePetecarelesslyprovidedNolan
accesstothegunincircumstancesinwhichitwasforeseeablethatNolanmightuseit
improperly.
3. Lateonenight,Peteplaceshisloadedpistolonthecoffeetableinthefamilyroomof
hishomethatheshareswithhiswifeandtwoyoungchildren.ThenextafternoonPete’s
10-year-oldson,Nolan,isspendingtimeinthefamilyroomwithhisfriend,Buddy.Nolan
picksupthegunandplayswithit,accidentallycausingittodischarge.Buddyisinjuredby
thegunshot.InanegligenceactionagainstPetebroughtonbehalfofBuddy,canPetebe
heldliablefornegligence?
A. PetecannotbeheldliableinnegligenceforinjuriestoBuddybecausePetenever
intendedforBuddyoranyoneelsetobeinjured.
B. PetecannotbeheldliableinnegligenceforinjuriestoBuddybecauseNolanis
thepersonwhoactuallydischargedthegunandisthereforethesoleproximatecause
ofBuddy’sinjuries.
C. Petemaybeheldliableinnegligencebecauseparentsareliableforinjuries
causedbytheirchildren.
D. PetemaybeheldliableinnegligencebecausePetecarelesslyprovidedNolan
accesstothegunincircumstancesinwhichitwasforeseeablethatNolanmight
useitimproperly.
4
4/21/16
4. ShopperispickingupafewitemsatGroceryStoreonherwayhomefromwork.As
sheenterstheproducesectionofGroceryStore,sheseesPlaintifflyingonthefloor,
holdingherobviouslyinjuredhip.RightnexttoPlaintiff,Shopperobservesadry,gritty,
almostentirelyblack,much-trampled-uponsquishybananalyingonthefloor.In
Plaintiff’snegligenceactionagainstGroceryStore,Shoppertestifiestotheconditionof
thebananawhenshesawitlayingnexttotheinjuredPlaintiff.Whatisthebest
characterizationofShopper’stestimonyaboutthebanana’sconditioninthetrial
broughtbyPlaintiffagainstGroceryStoreforitsallegednegligence?
A. Shopper’stestimonyiscircumstantialevidenceofGroceryStore’snegligence
andrequiresthefactfindertodrawaninferenceregardingGroceryStore’sbreachof
thestandardofcare.
B. Shopper’stestimonyisdirectevidenceofGroceryStore’snegligenceand
requiresthefactfindertodrawaninferenceregardingGroceryStore’sbreachofthe
standardofcare.
C. Shopper’stestimonyiscircumstantialevidenceandcannotbeusedto
establishGroceryStore’sbreachofthestandardofcare.
D. Shopper’stestimonyisdirectevidenceofGroceryStore’snegligenceand
cannotbeusedtoestablishGroceryStore’sbreachofthestandardofcare.
4. ShopperispickingupafewitemsatGroceryStoreonherwayhomefromwork.As
sheenterstheproducesectionofGroceryStore,sheseesPlaintifflyingonthefloor,
holdingherobviouslyinjuredhip.RightnexttoPlaintiff,Shopperobservesadry,gritty,
almostentirelyblack,much-trampled-uponsquishybananalyingonthefloor.In
Plaintiff’snegligenceactionagainstGroceryStore,Shoppertestifiestotheconditionof
thebananawhenshesawitlayingnexttotheinjuredPlaintiff.Whatisthebest
characterizationofShopper’stestimonyaboutthebanana’sconditioninthetrial
broughtbyPlaintiffagainstGroceryStoreforitsallegednegligence?
A. Shopper’stestimonyiscircumstantialevidenceofGroceryStore’s
negligenceandrequiresthefactfindertodrawaninferenceregardingGrocery
Store’sbreachofthestandardofcare.
B. Shopper’stestimonyisdirectevidenceofGroceryStore’snegligenceand
requiresthefactfindertodrawaninferenceregardingGroceryStore’sbreachofthe
standardofcare.
C. Shopper’stestimonyiscircumstantialevidenceandcannotbeusedto
establishGroceryStore’sbreachofthestandardofcare.
D. Shopper’stestimonyisdirectevidenceofGroceryStore’snegligenceand
cannotbeusedtoestablishGroceryStore’sbreachofthestandardofcare.
5
4/21/16
TortsThisSemester
1.  IntentionalTorts
6.  AdvancedTopicsin
Negligence
2.  Defensesto
IntentionalTorts
7.  StrictLiability
3.  Negligence
8.  TortDamages
4.  Causation
9.  WrongfulDeathand
5.  Defenses(andPartial
Defenses)to
NegligenceActions
Survival
10.  JointTortfeasors
11.  Immunities
12.  VicariousLiability
Damages
— Nominal
— Compensatory
— Punitive
6
4/21/16
PunitiveDamages
•  norighttopunitivedamages
— statesmaymodifyoreliminate
— constitutionallimits
BMWofNAv.Gore
•  Guideposts–
•  degreeofreprehensibilityofconduct
•  ratioofharmtopunitivedamage
award
•  sanctionsinjurisforcomparable
misconduct
7
4/21/16
StateFarmv.Campbell
WrongfulDeathandSurvival
8
4/21/16
WrongfulDeathandSurvival
survival
wrongfuldeath
Decedent’s
death
tort
Decedent’sheirs
trial
statutorybeneficiaries
9