Ch 21: Torts in Business Law Lesson Plans

1. What Is Tort Law? - Definition and Examples

A tort is simply a civil wrong. There are three general types of torts that may cause injury to another person. In civil law, torts are grounds for lawsuits to compensate a grieving party for any damages or injuries suffered.

2. Battery: The Elements of an Intentional Tort

The tort of battery occurs when a person intentionally inflicts bodily harm to another. While it generally involves some form of offensive contact that results in injury, the tort elements expanded to include contact that does not result in any physical harm.

3. What Is Assault? - Definition of an Intentional Tort

Assault is a tort and occurs when one person intentionally places anther in a state of fear. There are three types of assault: simple assault, assault and battery and aggravated assault. Each type of assault is intended to instill fear and may even involve physical pain against another person.

4. Transferred Intent for Assault and Battery

Transferred intent is a shift from an intended action against one party, to an action against another, and there does not need to be intent. It applies to any of the intentional torts, including trespass to land, trespass to chattels, assault, battery, and false imprisonment.

5. Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress: Definition and Examples

When one party does something so harmful to another that it causes severe emotional trauma and the act was intentional and reckless, the injured party may have a tort action for intentional infliction of emotional distress.

6. Intentional Torts of Economic Relations: Definition and Elements

Economic relations torts affect three categories of interference or injury that result in monetary loss. They are injurious falsehood, interference with contractual relations and interference with prospective advantage.

7. Trespass, Conversion and Nuisance: Definition and Examples

Trespass, conversion and nuisance refer to three intentional torts that deal with the taking of, use or interference of one's rights to hold and keep one's property or things. These are purposeful acts and considered tortious behavior.

8. Defenses to Intentional Torts to Avoid Liability

An intentional tort is committed when a defendant interferes with another person's rights. There are times when a defendant can successfully mitigate liability by using one of several affirmative defenses.

9. Negligence Torts: Definition and Cases

Negligence is an unintentional tort wherein one party is injured as a result of the actions of another. There are several elements that must be present to prove this tort.

10. Special Negligence Doctrines: Examples Cases

Negligence per se and res ipsa loquitur are two types of special negligence doctrines that do not require the reasonable person test. Both doctrines assume liability for the fact that negligent acts caused damages.

11. Defenses for Negligence: Definition and Examples

Negligence simply means a person is not acting as responsibly as they should. There are defenses that can be used to mitigate the degree of responsibility a defendant must assume, with each defense having its own unique elements that reduce liability.

12. Other Defenses to Negligence

Sometimes a party causes a tort based on negligence, but can invoke a defense to negligence. This lesson explores several negligence claims and defenses, including the rescue doctrine, the Good Samaritan Act, the fireman's rule, and Dram Shop Acts.

13. Defenses for Landowners, Common Carriers, Innkeepers and Social Host Negligence

To avoid a negligence claim, some parties must show others a high duty of care. Even in these cases, there are available defenses to negligence. This lesson explores landowners, common carriers, innkeepers and social hosts.

14. Strict Liability Torts: Definition and Examples

Strict liability applies when a defendant places another person in danger, even in the absence of negligence, simply because he is in possession of a dangerous product, animal or weapon. The plaintiff need not prove negligence.

15. Harm to Reputation or Economic Interests: Defamation, Libel, & Slander

The law recognizes a few ways in which a plaintiff's reputation and economic interests can be harmed: defamation, libel and slander. All three have a similar outcome, but require different elements be met.

16. What Is Vicarious Liability? - Definition and Examples

Most times, a liability lawsuit is directed at the negligent party. Sometimes, a lawsuit can involve parties who are not directly involved in the dispute because of the relationship the outside party has with the defendant.