Personal Injury
| Family Car Doctrine |
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| Under the family car doctrine (or family purpose doctrine), the owner of a car is liable for a plaintiff's personal injuries if the injuries were caused by one of the owner's family members while driving the car. The doctrine applies only to cases in which the car is owned for family purposes and the owner's family members had his or her express or implied permission to drive the car. More... |
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| Federal Volunteer Protection Act -- Punitive and Noneconomic Damages |
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| The federal Volunteer Protection Act (VPA) limits punitive damage awards against volunteers in cases in which they are not immune from liability. More... |
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| Federal Tort Claims Act -- Intentional Torts Exception |
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| The Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) applies to claims arising from the negligence of a federal government employee. The FTCA specifically bars claims that arise from an "intentional tort" committed by a federal government employee. More... |
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| Transferred Intent |
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| In order to prove an intentional tort, such as assault or battery, a plaintiff must show that a defendant intended to commit the tort. Under the doctrine of transferred intent, a defendant's intent to commit a tort against one person may be transferred to another person. More... |
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| Contribution and Indemnity |
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| When a plaintiff is injured by two or more defendants' tortious acts that join to cause the injury, each defendant is "jointly and severally liable" for that injury. This means that the plaintiff may recover the entire amount of damages from any of the defendants. The defendants, in turn, may seek contribution or indemnity from each other. More... |
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