Personal Injury Newsletters

Liability for a Bystander's Emotional Distress

In some cases, a bystander may recover for negligent infliction of emotional distress, even though the bystander was not directly involved in an accident. For example, a wife is walking along a city street. By chance, she sees her husband's car approaching.

State Laws Regarding Recreational Boating Accidents

State laws govern lawsuits regarding recreational boating accidents only if federal laws and the general maritime law do not apply. Federal laws and the general maritime law may apply to a lawsuit even if the lawsuit is filed in a state court. However, if a plaintiff waives the federal laws or the general maritime law, the lawsuit will be governed by state laws.

The Basic Law of Fraud

As a general rule, it is not illegal to say something that is not true. The general rule probably evolved from the fact that, in addition to engaging in intentional deception, human beings can simply be mistaken. It is also true that some false statements do not deceive because they come from sources known to be unreliable. If we do not rely on the mistaken statements of others, they do us no harm.

The Tort Definition Debate

Apart from legislation granting a right to sue for a specific harm, personal injury law generally consists of tort law and the civil procedure for enforcing it. Although tort law is a major kind of law, among many legal scholars there is no generally agreed definition of the word "tort." This article discusses the tort definition debate.

Tort Action for Sale of Habit-Forming Drug to a Spouse

Most states have enacted statutes that prohibit the sale of intoxicating liquors to a person who is intoxicated or who is known to be addicted to alcohol. These statutes may also extend to the sale of a habit-forming drug to a person who is known to be addicted to drugs.