BU231 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Malicious Prosecution, Vicarious Liability, Public Nuisance
Document Summary
Tort: a wrongful act causing harm to the person or property of another. The purpose of tort law is to compensate victims for harm caused by the activities of others. A set of circumstances that creates a right to claim compensation. Strict liability: liability that is imposed based upon causation regardless of fault. Anyone who causes direct injury to another had to pay compensation: no inquiry made on the reasons for the injury. The idea developed that a person should not be responsible for harm that was acted without fault. Recognition of direct and indirect consequential injuries: e. g. if a dropped a log on the road and b"s horse was injured by the log at night, A is just as responsible as if a had struck the horse with a log. Early tort law evolved in two ways: the law took into account the fault of the defendant.
