Questions tagged [negligence]

Negligence is a common law tort concerned with the protection of person, property and economic interests from harm caused by another person's unintentional (but possibly deliberate) failure to take care.

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21 votes
7 answers
9k views

Why doesn't law take into account probability?

My question is based on my layman understanding, I'm not in law When I think of "[damages]"* I think of "what is the expected liability from an interaction," as opposed to "...
Bastion Banner's user avatar
21 votes
4 answers
5k views

Is there liablility if Alice startles Bob and Bob damages something?

The other day I saw a random clip on YouTube, where Alice sneaks up to Bob, who is vacuuming, and scares Bob. Bob gets startled and swings the vacuum into (Bob's own) expensive television, breaking ...
infinitezero's user avatar
17 votes
6 answers
3k views

Is there a general duty to avoid creating unsafe situations when driving (Belgium)?

As I understand it (and please correct me if I'm wrong), in aviation and in maritime traffic, there is an overriding obligation to operate safely and avoid accidents/damage. E.g.: Alice and Bob are ...
Drubbels's user avatar
  • 477
12 votes
2 answers
1k views

Does a duty of care arise from advertised functionality?

Credit card issuer advertises "account alerts" on its website and in other communications, e.g., to "receive a reminder when your payment is due". Customer sets up alerts, and ...
Josh Johnson's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
2k views

Have people been charged for obstructing evacuation?

When evacuating a vehicle or a building in distress, the evacuees are normally supposed to leave their belongings behind. This doesn't always happen. Technically, if actual harm comes to others ...
Therac's user avatar
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11 votes
2 answers
2k views

May putting others at peril worsen the sentence?

Bob the Burglar specializes in fencing of stolen safety equipment (fire extinguishers, AEDs, etc.). One night, he breaks into a factory and steals the fire extinguishers and a fire hose. The theft is ...
PMF's user avatar
  • 4,727
10 votes
2 answers
4k views

Lawyer made a key decision without consulting me. Is this normal?

While this case is happening to a relative of mine rather than myself, I will speak in first person for the sake of simplicity. I had a medical procedure performed by a licensed doctor (Dr. A). This ...
Egor's user avatar
  • 241
6 votes
1 answer
418 views

How negligent does a prison have to be before becoming liable for harm to a prisoner?

This question is prompted by this news story: A hastily executed transfer of nearly 200 people in California’s prison system set off a public health disaster that endangered the lives of thousands of ...
Paul Johnson's user avatar
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5 votes
4 answers
6k views

Can you sue yourself for wrongful-death without admitting manslaughter?

Prompted by a comment in another question, the story of a woman suing herself came to my attention. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/02/19/utah-appeals-court-allows-woman-to-sue-herself-over-fatal-car-...
cnst's user avatar
  • 4,998
5 votes
1 answer
222 views

If a hacker is infected as a result of their actions, is the victim liable?

If a hacker gained unauthorized access to a computer network, downloaded a virus that was on a computer and infected their own system, would the victim of the hacker be liable for damages? Does it ...
Guest123's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
1k views

Open Source Software and Legal Responsibility for Software Content

I'm working with a few folks on updating some serious software for mechanism design. Engineered mechanisms have existed in the world now for a few hundred years or so. The science here isn't really ...
zipzit's user avatar
  • 151
5 votes
2 answers
404 views

Can Rand Paul be sued for negligent transmission of COVID-19?

Note: I am not wanting to make this political. Please do not attempt to address political aspects of this situation or rail one way or the other. My question would be exactly the same if the facts ...
drop acid not bombs's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
578 views

Precedent of doctor being sued after giving his private phone number

I'm looking for a precedent of a doctor getting sued after giving his private phone number for a patient to consult, yet not being available at a moment of emergency.
vondip's user avatar
  • 153
4 votes
2 answers
278 views

If suing for property damage can I claim for my time spent to replace those items?

I am claiming compensation for property damage due to negligence. I will simply using the money to replace the damaged items. Can I also claim for my reasonable time in replacing the items? For ...
Mark Micallef's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
4k views

Is the owner of a property liable for injuries sustained by an intruder? (UK)

I have heard that the owner of a property may be liable for injuries sustained by an intruder. I am referring to cases in which injuries were not inflicted willfully by the owner (e.g. in self-defence)...
greenback's user avatar
  • 143
3 votes
2 answers
1k views

Can I sue my neighbor if he fired a gun and a bullet goes through my wall and almost kills me?

A neighbor two units down from me discharged a firearm inside the unit and the bullet went through both of our units and ended up in mine. If either of us had been using the bathroom we may have been ...
Iron Gorilla's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
405 views

Kid left in hot car: What main legal factors affect if charges are brought?

If a kid gets left in a hot car (e.g. because the caretaker forgets), the kid can die. Serious criminal charges are sometimes brought against the caretaker (or caretakers, plural)... even if the car ...
Burned's user avatar
  • 656
3 votes
2 answers
540 views

Is there liability for pure accidents?

I am trying to determine the principled limits, if any, on when a person may be held financially liable for damage to another ("the victim"). I'm specifically interested in the case when damage is not ...
user6726's user avatar
  • 206k
3 votes
1 answer
226 views

Keeping a Weakness Secret

If a company invents a padlock with some obscure weakness that most criminals would not guess, is there anything the company can do (before or after selling it to the public, or within some "user ...
bobuhito's user avatar
  • 939
3 votes
1 answer
75 views

How are damages calculated if replacement requires purchase of unnecessary parts?

I own a sports car and was recently rear-ended by someone who has accepted full liability. My insurance is trying to price out the repair cost of my car and assures me I will not be out of pocket ...
Nicholas's user avatar
  • 249
3 votes
1 answer
260 views

What's the difference between gross negligence and criminal negligence?

What's the difference between gross negligence and criminal negligence? A simple example that would show the difference would be appreciated.
policyanger's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
931 views

Can daring someone to a dangerous act be considered manslaughter?

Last year there was a teen sentenced for manslaughter in Massachusetts for texting, calling, and encouraging her then boyfriend to commit suicide over several months; at one point telling him to ...
Shawn's user avatar
  • 131
3 votes
0 answers
226 views

Under what circumstances could laying hacker "traps" cause civil or criminal liability for non-law enforcement civilians?

The answer to If a hacker is infected as a result of their actions, is the victim liable? that explained laying a trap to injure someone could go either way depending on the severity of the injury and ...
Prim Reaper's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
2k views

What is strict liability (US)?

What is strict liability in US law? Is it really possible for a person to be held liable who did not intend to do harm or violate a law, and who was not negligent? (This question is in response to ...
David Siegel's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
641 views

Can I sue Midas for 2 instances of negligence/fraud upsell? [closed]

Have had two nightmare experiences with a local Midas Autoshop (independently operated) in Southern California. A bit of a story, thanks for reading. I have had this noise occurring before and after ...
Lieutenant Dan's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
2k views

H&R Block gave me someone else's personal info by mistake. What do I do?

I needed to amend my 2013 tax return so I went to H&R Block, my first mistake. A few weeks later I went back to the H&R block office to pick up my amended return and other supporting documents....
stonk-overflow's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
262 views

Tort - standard of care

My question is to do with the case Nettleship v Weston - I am having trouble agreeing with Denning's judgement in that a learner driver is required to drive the standard of a reasonably competent ...
Anona anon's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
87 views

Vehicle owners not required to prove towing company negligence in Texas

Chapter 2308 of Title 14 of the Texas Occupations Code deals with towing and booting by towing companies. Section 2308.404(a)(2) reads "A towing company, booting company, or parking facility ...
guero64's user avatar
  • 561
2 votes
1 answer
122 views

Are you vicariously liable to someone you hired to carry out a negligent act?

Vicarious liability holds that when an employee is negligent and causes damage in the course of work, the employer is held liable. What if the "work" itself is negligent, and the damage ...
The Editor's user avatar
  • 1,223
2 votes
2 answers
121 views

Held liable for negligently allowing counterfeit?

Suppose Alice runs a bar in the US, so patrons must be 21 or older. Bob comes to the bar with a fake ID, and Alice allows him to order drinks. Normally if Bob were caught, it seems that there would be ...
Jack Edwards's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
117 views

Manslaughter or Negligence -does not inform all risks in surgery which results in death of a patient

Is manslaughter a potential legal consequence of treating a patient without obtaining a valid consent? i.e. A surgeon does not inform all the risks involved in the surgery to a patient, causing a ...
user25531's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
784 views

Can I sue Apple/Dell/HTC for batteries that fail when ThinkPads live on?

It is a known fact that Li-Ion batteries will die and become useless much faster when kept fully charged 100% and always topped up 100% as compared to when they're only charged to, say, about 50% or ...
cnst's user avatar
  • 4,998
2 votes
1 answer
97 views

Forging a signature on a legal document, NY

What is the penalty for forging the signature of a Psychiatrist on a NYS Article 14 9.55 form, enabling an outpatient mental health care provider to summon police assistance in transferring a patient ...
Kate 's user avatar
  • 41
2 votes
1 answer
211 views

Could Thompson v Spedding [1973] apply in this situation?

Situation: Car A is tailgating Car B. Additionally Car A driver is operating a mobile phone while driving. Car B driver is driving carefully and well within the speed limit. Suddenly a person C ...
Tymoteusz Paul's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
75 views

Business and Customer Responsibilities for Terms of Contract

I hired a mowing company to mow my lawn. In the "NOTES" section of the contract, I specified I wanted mowing to occur every other week rather than weekly. In addition, I stated the same in my e-mail ...
THE DOCTOR's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
45 views

tort law - loss of employment after psychiatric injury

X suffered psychiatric injury by the negligence of Y. X remains sick a year after wards and jobless as well. Is Y liable for psychiatric injury only (assuming he is negligent) or is he liable for X'...
Aamer Hameed's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
32 views

In the state of Maryland, are there codes governing apartment building garage doors

I haven't been able to find anything on this particular issue. Are there safety regulations governing the type, maintenance, operation, etc. of garage doors in the state of Maryland for condos/...
Michael Jarret's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
627 views

In Canada, is there an individual cause of action against a perjurer or police?

Consider the situation where a person commits perjury by falsely asserting a material fact in court that goes against your case.1 In Canada, could you sue the perjurer? Suppose you lost your job, ...
Neil Meyer's user avatar
  • 4,682
1 vote
2 answers
759 views

Could non-smokers successfully sue smokers?

I regularly see civil cases where, when one person is harmed, either directly or indirectly by another (for example, builders putting asbestos in a house, lead in pipes, etc), they are able to bring a ...
SE Does Not Like Dissent's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
233 views

What monetary award can be received when a bureau is negligent to punishing their officers?

Overview: My partner has been going through a very drawn-out battle against the Portland police, mainly in regards to a single police officer. This officer had used various police resources and ...
Xrylite's user avatar
  • 218
1 vote
1 answer
122 views

How can Patient get a compounded medication tested, to determine if it was negligently compounded?

A physician prescribed his lay Patient a medication that must be compounded. After consuming this medication, Patient suffered atypical serious side effects. After examination, a physician reckons ...
user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
127 views

Driver's liability for friend passenger's losses in an accident

Alice and Bob are friends. One day they decide to go on a road trip in Bob's car. It has started freezing and the road may be icy. Bob drives below the speed limit and applies some extra care that he ...
Greendrake's user avatar
  • 24.5k
1 vote
1 answer
285 views

Confused on superseding causes and foreseeability

Let's say I went for a swim and got all wet. Then, I decided to buy something in a vending machine and I got electrified (due to a wiring issue) and it affected my health negatively. Could I sue the ...
Therissa Toussaint's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
399 views

If my mom refuses to take in my brother, is that abandonment?

My 15 year old brother is currently living with me in California. I am planning on taking him to stay with my mother in the next several days (also in CA). She does not own a home; she stays with a ...
AnthonySCaldera's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
160 views

Why would I be subject to liability for negligently poking a person's eye out?

According to Restatement of Torts, Second (I've only scratched the surface), to be liable for battery, the actor must have an intent, though the intent might not have been to bring about the specific ...
user6726's user avatar
  • 206k
1 vote
1 answer
149 views

Am I Allowed to Refuse a Rescue? What Issues Would That Cause?

Suppose my one-person boat sinks and I escape in my life raft. Later, party X comes along and offers to rescue me. Suppose, for whatever reason, I don't want to go with X. Question: Am I obliged to ...
geometrian's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
99 views

Was this a case of negligent homicide, and have any other offences been committed here?

Disclaimer: I do not aim to take a position on the ethics of this situation with this question. This question, and all details of the hypothetical case at hand, merely arose from a discussion I ...
BakedAlaska624's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
138 views

If D1 can't sue D2, then wouldn't D1 and D2 argue identically that D3 broke the chain of causation?

I deliberately hedged each defendant's possible negligence. D1 (Defendant 1) might've negligently injured P. P falls to the pavement, and bleeds. D1 panics, and runs away. D1 is a billionaire. ...
user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
59 views

Oregon: multi-car crash fault distribution

If the driver of car A causes a crash with car B, which causes car B to suddenly stop, and then car B is rear-ended by car C, is A fully responsible for the damages to B, or does C share in some of ...
Matthew Herbst's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
1k views

Is a pedestrian crossing on red light responsible if a driver steers away from them, killing someone else?

Suppose that a car is going fast towards an intersection right when a pedestrian decides to cross it on a red light. The driver, out of reflex, steers away from the pedestrian to avoid hitting him. ...
user29491's user avatar