Tort Law and Alternatives

Franklin, Rabin, Green
8th Edition
ISBN: 1599410354
Page Case Name Citation Court Audio
3 Hammontree v. Jenner 97 Cal. Rptr. 739 Court of Appeal of California, Second Appellate District, Division One, 1971 Download
35 Brown v. Kendall 60 Mass. 292 Supreme Court of Massachusetts, Middlesex, 1850 Download
44 United States v. Carroll Towing Co. 159 F.2d 169 United States Circuit Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 1947 Download
60 Baltimore and Ohio R.R. v. Goodman 275 U.S. 66 Supreme Court of the United States, 1927 Download
62 Pokora v. Wabash Ry. 292 U.S. 98 U.S. Supreme Court, 1934 Download
66 Andrews v. United Airlines 24 F.3d 39 United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 1994 Download
69 Trimarco v. Klein 56 N.Y.2d 98, 436 N.E.2d 502, 451 N.Y.S.2d 52 Court of Appeals of New York, 1982 Download
75 Martin v. Herzog 126 N.E. 814 New York Court of Appeals, 1920 Download
92 Byrne v. Boadle 159 Eng. Rep. 299 Court of Exchequer, 1863 Download
95 McDougald v. Perry 716 So. 2d 783 Supreme Court of Florida, 1998 Download
157 Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California 551 P.2d 334 Supreme Court of California, 1976 Download
168 Uhr v. East Greenbush Central School District 720 N.E.2d 886 Court of Appeals of New York, 1999 Download
230 Riss v. New York 22 N.Y.2d 579, 240 N.E.2d 860, 293 N.Y.S.2d 897. New York Court of Appeals, 1968 Download
347 Zuchowicz v. United States 140 F.3d 381 U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, 1998 Download
375 Summers v. Tice 199 P.2d 1 Supreme Court of California, 1948 Download
406 In re Polemis & Furness, Withy & Co. 3 K.B. 560 Court of Appeal, 1921 Download
409 Overseas Tankship (U.K.) Ltd. v. Morts Dock & Engineering Co., Ltd. A.C. 388 Privy Council, 1961 Download
425 Palsgraf v. Long Island R.R. 162 N.E. 99 Court of Appeals of New York, 1928 Download
475 Murphy v. Steeplechase Amusement Co. 166 N.E. 173 New York Court of Appeals, 1929 Download
497 Geier v. American Honda Motor Co. 529 U.S. 861 Supreme Court of the United States, 2000 Download
506 Fletcher v. Rylands L.R. 1 Ex. 265 In the Exchequer Chamber, 1866 Download
519 Indiana Harbor Belt R.R. v. American Cyanamid Co. 916 F.2d 1174 United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 1990 Download
550 MacPherson v. Buick Motor Co. 111 N.E. 1050 New York Court of Appeals, 1916 Download
556 Escola v. Coca Cola Bottling Co. of Fresno 150 P.2d 436 Supreme Court of California, 1944 Download
596 Hood v. Ryobi America Corp. 181 F.3d 608 United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 1999 Download
682 Boomer v. Atlantic Cement Co. 257 N.E.2d 870 Court of Appeals of New York, 1970 Download
718 McDougald v. Garber 536 N.E.2d 372 Court of Appeals of New York, 1989 Download
749 State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. v. Campbell 538 U.S. 408, 123 S. Ct. 1513, (Torts Edit) Supreme Court of the United States, 2003 Download
885 Garratt v. Dailey 46 Wash.2d 197, 279 P.2d 1091 Supreme Court of Washington, 1955 Download
934 Courvoisier v. Raymond 47 P. 284 Supreme Court of Colorado, 1896 Download
937 Katko v. Briney 183 N.W.2d 657 Supreme Court of Iowa, 1971 Download
943 Vincent v. Lake Erie Transportation Co. 124 N.W. 221 Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1910 Download
1028 New York Times Co. v. Sullivan 376 U.S. 254 Supreme Court of the United States, 1964 Download
1052 Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc. 418 U.S. 323 Supreme Court of the United States, 1974 Download
1167 Nader v. General Motors Corp. 255 N.E.2d 765 Court of Appeals of New York, 1970 Download
1181 Desnick v. American Broadcasting Co., Inc. 44 F.3d 1345 (Torts Edit) United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 1995
18 Christensen v. Swenson 874 P.2d 125 Supreme Court of Utah, 1994 Download
24 Roessler v. Novak 858 So.2d 1158 Florida District Court of Appeal, 2003 Download
40 Adams v. Bullock 227 N.Y. 208, 125 N.E. 93 Court of Appeals of New York, 1919 Download
50 Bethel v. New York City Transit Authority 92 N.Y.2d 348, 703 N.E.2d 1214, 681 N.Y.S.2d 201 Court of Appeals of New York, 1998 Download
Case Information Fact Summary Rule of Law
Hammontree v. Jenner
Court of Appeal of California, Second Appellate District, Division One, 1971
97 Cal. Rptr. 739
Pg. 3
Defendant suffers seizure while driving and crashes into plaintiff's business and causes personal injury and property damage. 1. "Users of the streets and highways" are subject to the principles of negligence. 2. If the risk is not reasonably foreseeable, then the driver is not liable for negligence.
Brown v. Kendall
Supreme Court of Massachusetts, Middlesex, 1850
60 Mass. 292
Pg. 35
Two dogs are fighting in the presence of their masters. The defendant tries to separate the dogs with a stick beating, and accidentally strikes plaintiff in the eye. In order to recover for unintentional harm, the plaintiff has the burden to prove that defendant failed to meet at least an ordinary level of care.
United States v. Carroll Towing Co.
United States Circuit Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 1947
159 F.2d 169
Pg. 44
Carroll Towing (defendant) is towing a line of barges, including the "Anna C" (owned by Connors, plaintiff). Connors does not place an employee on board its barge. The "Anna C" breaks away from the line of barges and crashes into a tanker. The "Hand Formula": if B < P*L, and the actor does not take the adequate precaution (B), then the actor has breached a legal duty. B = "the burden of adequate precautions." P = "the probability" that injury will result. L = "the gravity of the resulting injury"
Baltimore and Ohio R.R. v. Goodman
Supreme Court of the United States, 1927
275 U.S. 66
Pg. 60
Plaintiff approaches a railroad crossing in his automobile. Instead of getting out of his car and checking for an oncoming train, plaintiff relies on his hearing and drives on. Train (defendant) strikes and kills our hapless plaintiff. When the standard of care is clear, it should be "laid down once and for all by the Courts" as a question of law. NOTE: THIS IS NO LONGER GOOD LAW. See Pokora v. Wabash Ry.
Pokora v. Wabash Ry.
U.S. Supreme Court, 1934
292 U.S. 98
Pg. 62
Plaintiff approaches a railroad crossing in his automobile. He stops and tries to look, but proceeds without getting out of his car for a better vantage point. Train (defendant) strikes and injures plaintiff. The standard of care in negligence cases is "for the judgment of a jury". In other words, the determination of duty and breach is a question of fact, not law.
Andrews v. United Airlines
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 1994
24 F.3d 39
Pg. 66
Suitcase fell on the head of passenger. Common carriers have a duty of the utmost care.
Trimarco v. Klein
Court of Appeals of New York, 1982
56 N.Y.2d 98, 436 N.E.2d 502, 451 N.Y.S.2d 52
Pg. 69
Plaintiff was injured while exiting the bathtub in his rented apartment. The bathtub had a screen of normal, untempered glass, which shattered unexpectedly and suddenly, severely injuring him. At the time, it was ordinary and recommended practice to use plastic or tempered safety glass, which had been treated with shatterproof material, in shower or bath enclosures. Plaintiff could not have known the glass was not safety glass. By examining the common and reasonable practice of a business, the evidence of custom and usage can be proved. A common practice, however, is not "necessarily a conclusive or even compelling test of negligence."
Martin v. Herzog
New York Court of Appeals, 1920
126 N.E. 814
Pg. 75
Plaintiff's buggy collides with defendant's automobile, and plaintiff dies. Plaintiff is driving without his headlights on, which violates a statute. Breach of a statutory duty can also constitute CONTRIBUTORY NEGLIGENCE PER SE, subject to the same requirements: 1) plaintiff is a member of the class of persons that the statute is designed to protect, AND 2) harm is of the character that the statute is designed to prevent. Finally, Cardozo states that negligence per se, like all negligence, must be causally connected to the injury.
Byrne v. Boadle
Court of Exchequer, 1863
159 Eng. Rep. 299
Pg. 92
Plaintiff was walking along a highway when he was struck by a barrel of flour that was being lowered from defendant's window. Defendant was a flour dealer. Plaintiff submitted no evidence of negligence other than the facts above, arguing that negligence was established under the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur. Defendant argued that plaintiff must submit some direct evidence of negligence. There is a presumption of negligence where "the defendant had the entire possession and exclusive use of this warehouse...", and a barrel of flour, owned by the defendant, was lowered from the warehouse and fell on plaintiff; The burden is on the defendant to show that he was not negligent.
McDougald v. Perry
Supreme Court of Florida, 1998
716 So. 2d 783
Pg. 95
Plaintiff was driving on a highway when his vehicle was struck by a tire that came loose from defendant's tractor-trailer. Defendant, although he did inspect the car before the trip, including the tire, did not check thoroughly enough to see if the tire was fastened absolutely. After the accident, the defendant noticed that the chain holding the tire in place had slipped off, freeing the tire. The question before the court is whether res ipsa loquitur applies. "[O]n the basis of common experience and as a matter of general knowledge, [this type of accident] would not occur but for the failure to exercise reasonable care [. . .] the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur is particularly applicable in wayward wheel cases." This case is essentially no different from Byrne v. Boadle.
Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California
Supreme Court of California, 1976
551 P.2d 334
Pg. 157
On October 27, 1969, Prosenjit Poddar killed Tatiana Tarasoff. Plaintiffs, Tatiana's parents, allege that two months earlier Poddar confided his intention to kill Tatiana to Dr. Lawrence Moore, a psychologist. They allege that on Moore's request, the campus police briefly detained Poddar, but released him when he appeared rational. They further claim that Dr. Harvey Powelson, Moore's superior, then directed that no further action be taken to detain Poddar. No one warned plaintiffs of Tatiana's peril. Court concluded that public policy favoring protection of the confidential character of patient-psychotherapist communications must yield to the extent to which disclosure is essential to avert danger to others. The protective privilege ends where the public peril begins.
Uhr v. East Greenbush Central School District
Court of Appeals of New York, 1999
720 N.E.2d 886
Pg. 168
Plaintiff student was screened for scoliosis as part of a school program in the 7th grade, but not in the 8th grade. In 9th grade, she was screened for scoliosis by her school and tested positive. The condition had progressed to the point where surgery was required. When determining whether a statute gives rise to an implied private cause of action, a court must determine: "(1) whether the plaintiff is one of the class for whose particular benefit the statute was enacted; (2) whether recognition of a private right of action would promote the legislative purpose; and (3) whether creation of such a right would be consistent with the legislative scheme."
Riss v. New York
New York Court of Appeals, 1968
22 N.Y.2d 579, 240 N.E.2d 860, 293 N.Y.S.2d 897.
Pg. 230
Plaintiff was harassed by a rejected suitor, who claimed he would kill or seriously injure her if she dated someone else. Plaintiff repeatedly asked for police protection and was ignored. After the news of her engagement, the plaintiff was again threatened and called the police to no avail. The next day, a thug, sent by the rejected suitor, partially blinded the plaintiff and disfigured her face. The municipality does not have a duty to provide police protection to an individual. It has a duty to the public as a whole, but no one in particular.
Zuchowicz v. United States
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, 1998
140 F.3d 381
Pg. 347
Defendant prescribes an overdose of drug to plaintiff, who fills and consumes the prescription for a period of a month. Thereafter, plaintiff begins taking the correct dosage, but ultimately develops lung disease as a side effect and dies. Test for "but for" causation: If (1) "a negligent act [is] deemed wrongful because that act INCREASES THE CHANCES that a particular type of accident [will] occur", and (2) "a mishap of that very sort [does] happen": THEN there is a rebuttable PRESUMPTION that the negligent behavior caused the harm, and the BURDEN shifts to the defendant to "bring in evidence denying but for cause and suggesting that in the actual case the wrongful conduct had not been a substantial factor."
Summers v. Tice
Supreme Court of California, 1948
199 P.2d 1
Pg. 375
Plaintiff and two defendants were hunting quail on the open range. Both defendants shot at the quail, firing in the plaintiff's direction. As a result, the plaintiff sustained injuries to his eye and upper lip. In situations where plaintiff is injured as a result of defendants negligence, yet it is impossible for plaintiff to determine which defendant caused what injury, the defendants are jointly and severally liable for the whole injury to plaintiff as joint tort feasors. The burden is on the defendants to explain the cause of the injury.
In re Polemis & Furness, Withy & Co.
Court of Appeal, 1921
3 K.B. 560
Pg. 406
A ship carrying a cargo of petrol was set fire and destroyed. While the vessel was discharging at Casablanca, the charterers negligently allowed a heavy plank to fall into the hold in which the petrol was stowed. The plank caused an explosion, which set fire to the vessel. The fall of the board was due to the negligence of the charterers' servants, the charterers were liable for all the direct consequences of the negligent act, even though those consequences could not reasonably have been anticipated; and they were therefore liable for the loss of the ship by fire.
Overseas Tankship (U.K.) Ltd. v. Morts Dock & Engineering Co., Ltd.
Privy Council, 1961
A.C. 388
Pg. 409
Defendants had carelessly let oil spill from their ship into Sydney harbor. Oil was carried to wharf, which was used for repair work on other ships. The oil caught fire, and caused great damage. The test of liability for the damage done by fire was the foreseeability of the injury by fire and, as a reasonable man would not, on the facts of this case, have foreseen such injury, the appellants were not liable in negligence for the damage, although their servants' carelessness was the direct cause of the damage.
Palsgraf v. Long Island R.R.
Court of Appeals of New York, 1928
162 N.E. 99
Pg. 425
Two guards, employed by defendant, helped a man get on a moving train. The man was holding a package, which he dropped. The package was full of fireworks and exploded, causing a scale to fall many feet away and injure plaintiff. There was no way for the guards to know the contents of the package. For an act to be negligent, unless that act is imminently dangerous, a duty of care is owed to a foreseeable plaintiff. There is a split of authority on duty of care. Cardozo, writing for the majority, adopted a narrow view of the duty of care: "The risk reasonably to be perceived defines the duty to be obeyed, and risk imports relation; it is risk to another or to others within the range of apprehension. . . ." Andrews, dissenting, adopts a broad view: "Where there is the unreasonable act, and some right that may be affected there is negligence whether damage does or does not result. . . . Every one owes to the world at large the duty of refraining from those acts that may unreasonably threaten the safety of others. Such an act occurs. Not only is he wronged to whom harm might reasonably be expected to result, but he also who is in fact injured, even if he be outside what would generally be thought the danger zone. There needs be duty due the one complaining but this is not a duty to a particular individual because as to him harm might be expected. Harm to some one being the natural result of the act, not only that one alone, but all those in fact injured may complain."
Murphy v. Steeplechase Amusement Co.
New York Court of Appeals, 1929
166 N.E. 173
Pg. 475
Young man (plaintiff) visits amusement park (defendant) and steps onto a ride called the "Flopper." He indeed flops, and suffers injury. "One who takes part in such a sport accepts the dangers that inhere in it so far as they are obvious and necessary."
Geier v. American Honda Motor Co.
Supreme Court of the United States, 2000
529 U.S. 861
Pg. 497
Plaintiff, while driving a 1987 Honda Accord, collided with a tree and was seriously injured. The car was equipped with manual shoulder and lap belts, which the plaintiff had buckled up, but the car was not equipped with airbags or other passive restraint devices. The court applied a narrow reading of the pre-emption provision, excluding common law actions. Thus, the court held that a common law "no airbag" action, conflicted with FMVSS 208.
Fletcher v. Rylands
In the Exchequer Chamber, 1866
L.R. 1 Ex. 265
Pg. 506
Defendant contracts to build a reservoir on his land, which is located on top of old coal mines that are connected to the mines constructed by the plaintiff on a separate parcel of land. The reservoir fails, and water falls into the old mines, eventually flooding plaintiff's mines. "[T]hat the person who for his own purposes brings on his lands and collects and keeps there anything likely to do mischief if it escapes, must keep it in at his peril, and, if he does not do so, is prima facie answerable for all the damage which is the natural consequence of its escape."
Indiana Harbor Belt R.R. v. American Cyanamid Co.
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 1990
916 F.2d 1174
Pg. 519
Defendant is a manufacturer of acrylonitrile, a highly flammable and toxic chemical. Defendant contracted to ship 20,000 gallons of acrylonitrile by railroad. While the car filled with the chemical was being switched to a different line at plaintiff's railroad yard, a leak was discovered. 4,000 gallons of acrylonitrile was spilled in the rail yard before the leak could be stopped. Plaintiff was ordered by the state of Illinois to pay for decontamination measures. A shipper/manufacturer of acrylonitrile should not be held strictly liable for a spill occuring during transportation; A negligence liability standard is adequate.
MacPherson v. Buick Motor Co.
New York Court of Appeals, 1916
111 N.E. 1050
Pg. 550
Buick (defendant) sells car to dealer. Dealer sells car to customer (plaintiff). Customer suffers injury because of a car defect that could have been detected by Buick's reasonable inspection. Manufacturer negligence liability is based on three elements, as stated by Cardozo in the opinion: "If the nature of a thing is such that it is reasonably certain to place life and limb in peril when negligently made, it is then a THING OF DANGER. If to the element of danger there is added KNOWLEDGE THAT THE THING WILL BE USED BY PERSONS OTHER THAN THE PURCHASER, and used WITHOUT NEW TESTS, then, irrespective of contract, the manufacturer of this thing of danger is under a duty to make it carefully."
Escola v. Coca Cola Bottling Co. of Fresno
Supreme Court of California, 1944
150 P.2d 436
Pg. 556
Coca Cola bottle explodes in waitress's (plaintiff) hand as she is stocking the refrigerator. Traynor's concurrence is the key takeaway from this case: "a manufacturer incurs an ABSOLUTE LIABILITY when an article that he has placed on the market, knowing that it is to be used without inspection, proves to have a defect that causes injury to human beings."
Hood v. Ryobi America Corp.
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 1999
181 F.3d 608
Pg. 596
Plaintiff lost part of his thumb and lacerated his leg when he removed the blade guards from his new Ryobi miter saw and then used the unguarded saw for home carpentry. Maryland does not require and encyclopedic warning. Instead, a warning need only be one that is reasonable under the circumstances.
Boomer v. Atlantic Cement Co.
Court of Appeals of New York, 1970
257 N.E.2d 870
Pg. 682
Defendant is the operator of a cement plant. Plaintiff sues for private nuisance, due to dirt, smoke, vibration, and particulate contamination coming from defendant's plant. Where the benefit of an injuction against a nuisance is greatly outweighed by its costs, a court may allow payment of permenant damages to the plaintiff in lieu of injuctive relief.
McDougald v. Garber
Court of Appeals of New York, 1989
536 N.E.2d 372
Pg. 718
Plaintiff underwent a Caesarean section and tubal ligation at New York Infirmary. During the surgery the plaintiff suffered oxygen deprivation which resulted in severe brain damage and left her in a permanent comatose condition. The dispute concerned what nonpecuniary damages should have been awarded to the plaintiff. Cognitive awareness is a prerequiste to recovery for loss of enjoyment of life. There must be some type of awareness in order for a plaintiff to recover this type of damage award.
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. v. Campbell
Supreme Court of the United States, 2003
538 U.S. 408, 123 S. Ct. 1513, (Torts Edit)
Pg. 749
Although investigators and witnesses concluded that Curtis Campbell caused an accident in which one person was killed and another permanently disabled, his insurer, petitioner State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, contested liability, declined to settle the ensuing claims for the $ 50,000 policy limit, ignored its own investigators' advice, and took the case to trial, assuring Campbell and his wife that they had no liability for the accident, that State Farm would represent their interests, and that they did not need separate counsel. In fact, a Utah jury returned a judgment for over three times the policy limit, and State Farm refused to appeal. A punitive damages award of $ 145 million, where full compensatory damages are $ 1 million, is excessive and violates the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
Garratt v. Dailey
Supreme Court of Washington, 1955
46 Wash.2d 197, 279 P.2d 1091
Pg. 885
A five-year-old boy moved a lawn chair from under Plaintiff while she was in the process of sitting down. Plaintiff suffered a broken hip and brings a battery charge against the child. A court need only find that the defendant behaved with "substantial certainty" that contact would result in order to hold defendant liable for battery. No further finding of intent is necessary.
Courvoisier v. Raymond
Supreme Court of Colorado, 1896
47 P. 284
Pg. 934
Jewelry store owner (defendant) awakes to find unknown persons attempting to break into his store. Owner fires warning shot and chases persons out of building. Outside, police apprehend suspects, and one officer (plaintiff) approaches jewelry store. Owner, unaware of approaching man's identity, shoots the officer In order for a claim of self-defense to be valid, the defendant's fears must be "reasonable under the circumstances" (in addition to a genuine ("honest") belief). Thus, self-defense has both an objective and subjective component.
Katko v. Briney
Supreme Court of Iowa, 1971
183 N.W.2d 657
Pg. 937
Plaintiff was shot by a spring powered shotgun trap set up inside defendant's unoccupied farm house. There was no warning about the gun trap and it could not be seen from the outside. Landowners do not have the right to use lethal force to protect property from intrusion unless the intruder "threatens death or serious bodily harm to the occupiers [...] of the premises."
Vincent v. Lake Erie Transportation Co.
Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1910
124 N.W. 221
Pg. 943
Defendant moors his boat to plaintiff's dock, pursuant to contract to unload cargo. A storm develops, however, and defendant keeps boat moored to dock, adhering to custom. Boat buffets the dock and causes $500 damage to the dock. Even when necessity provides a valid defense to trespass, the would-be trespasser must pay compensatory relief for damage caused to property.
New York Times Co. v. Sullivan
Supreme Court of the United States, 1964
376 U.S. 254
Pg. 1028
Plaintiff claimed he was defamed in a full-page ad taken out in the New York Times. The ad charged that the plaintiff, among others, had been involved with an unprecedented wave of terror against members of the civil rights movement in the south. The court determined the extent to which the constitutional protections for speech and press limit a state's power to award damages in a libel action brought by a public official against critics of his official conduct. The court held that the Constitution delimits a State's power to award damages for libel in actions brought by public officials against critics of their official conduct.
Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc.
Supreme Court of the United States, 1974
418 U.S. 323
Pg. 1052
The principle issue in this case is whether a newspaper or broadcaster that publishes defamatory falsehoods about an individual who is neither a public official nor a public figure may claim a constitutional privilege against liability for the injury inflicted by those statements. The case arose from an article that falsely accused plaintiff of being a communist and engaging in communist activities. "[S]o long as they do not impose liability without fault, the States may define for themselves the appropriate standard of liability for a publisher or broadcaster of defamatory falsehood injurious to a private individual."
Nader v. General Motors Corp.
Court of Appeals of New York, 1970
255 N.E.2d 765
Pg. 1167
The plaintiff had for some years been an articulate and severe critic of General Motors' products from the standpoint of safety and design. Plaintiff complained that defendant, General Motors, engaged in intimidation tactics against him in order to suppress plaintiff's criticism and prevent his disclosure of damaging information. Plaintiff claims these intimidation tactics were an invasion of his privacy. The court held that the mere gathering of information about a particular individual does not give rise to a cause of action under this theory. Privacy is invaded only if the information sought is of a confidential nature and the defendant's conduct was unreasonably intrusive.
Desnick v. American Broadcasting Co., Inc.
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 1995
44 F.3d 1345 (Torts Edit)
Pg. 1181
ABC's Primetime Live sent undercover reporters to an ophthalmic office to see Drs. who were allegedly recommending cataract surgery unnecessarily. When subversive patients tape record their visits to a Drs. office, there is no invasion of privacy.
Christensen v. Swenson
Supreme Court of Utah, 1994
874 P.2d 125
Pg. 18
Swenson, while on duty as a gate guard, left her post to pick up lunch. While in her car, she struck and injured Christensen who was on a motorcycle. Christensen brings suit against Swenson and her employer, Burns, under the theory of respondeat superior. "[E]mployers are vicariously liable for torts committed by employees while acting within the scope of their employment."
Roessler v. Novak
Florida District Court of Appeal, 2003
858 So.2d 1158
Pg. 24
Plaintiff, diagnosed as having a perforated viscus, was evaluated by a doctor at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. Plaintiff claims that the doctor was negligent in his evaluation of his abdominal scans and that the hospital is vicariously liable for the doctor's actions. "[A] hospital may be held vicariously liable for the acts of physicians, even if they are independent contractors, if these physicians act with the apparent authority of the hospital."
Adams v. Bullock
Court of Appeals of New York, 1919
227 N.Y. 208, 125 N.E. 93
Pg. 40
Plaintiff, a twelve-year-old boy, was walking on bridge over a trolley line while swinging an 8-foot wire. When the boy's wire and the trolley line came in contact the boy was shocked and burned. When in lawful exercise of its franchise, a company will not be liable for those dangers that are not within the ordinary prevision.
Bethel v. New York City Transit Authority
Court of Appeals of New York, 1998
92 N.Y.2d 348, 703 N.E.2d 1214, 681 N.Y.S.2d 201
Pg. 50
Plaintiff was injured when falling to the floor of a New York city bus after a wheelcahir accessible seat collapsed. Plaintiff argues that Defendant was on constructive notice that the seat had a defect due to a recent repair to the seat, and that Defendant failed to properly inspect the seat. "[A] common carrier is subject to the same duty of care as any other potential tortfeasor-reasonable care under all of the circumstances of the particular case."