This document provides notes about the Tort of Negligence and how it works. It talks about how claimants can claim compensation after suffering damage or injury to themselves or their personal property. It gives case examples and how they are relevant.
Tort of Negligence- Calculating
Damages.
● Compensatory damages- the court can award
compensation to a successful claimant for the injuries and
losses that have been suffered and for damages to
property.
● Purposes of damages: compensatory, put the claimant in
the position they would have been in had the event not
occurred. (will include- actual losses, future losses, the
injury.)
● The claimant is required to take reasonable steps to
mitigate (reduce) their loss.
● The defendant will not be liable to compensate the
claimant for any losses that could have been prevented by
taking such steps
● The claimant is entitled to be compensated for their loss,
but they’re under a duty to keep the loss to a reasonable
level. This is called mitigation of loss.
● For example, the claimant can’t claim for private treatment
if there is a suitable treatment under the NHS. On the
other hand, if treatment is only available privately, the cost
of the private treatment can be claimed.
● Same principles apply to property damage. If property has
been damaged beyond repair, the cost of replacing that
property can be claimed. Replacing the item with a more
expensive replacement would not be allowed.
, Damages
● Payable only once
➔ Therefore, if more than one defendant shares the cost in
proportion to their contribution to the harm as in Barker v
Corus 2006.
➔ A case where the claimant identified two defendants
responsible for him contracting asbestos.
● Contributory negligence
➔ Where a claimant contributes to the loss by their own
negligence their damages will be reduced accordingly
➔ Froom v Butcher 1976
Pecuniary
● The losses which can be calculated in monetary terms (we
can put a figure on it). Eg, wages, damage to property,
therapy costs.
Non-pecuniary Loss
● The losses which cannot be quantified. Eg, pain, suffering
and loss of amenity. These must be assessed at trial.
Special damages
● The pecuniary losses which can be calculated at the date
of the trial/settlement.
● Everything up to the trial
General damages
● The non-pecuniary losses to the date of the trial and all
future losses such as loss of earnings or pain and
suffering.
● Beyond the trial
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