Newsletters
Tort Liability of Members of the Armed Forces
Members of the armed forces are generally immune from liability for damages to another person or to the other person's property as long as the members were acting within the scope of their employment or their official duties and as long as the members were following a lawful command. The immunity applies to the members who were issuing the lawful command and to the members who were obeying the lawful command.
Automobile Racing
Automobile racing is an inherently dangerous sport due to the high speeds. Crashes on the track can mean serious injuries or even fatalities to participants as well as spectators, which could lead to negligence actions against the racing facility's owner.
Federal Volunteer Protection Act -- Punitive and Noneconomic Damages
The federal Volunteer Protection Act (VPA) limits punitive damage awards against volunteers in cases in which they are not immune from liability.
The Eggshell Skull Rule
Suppose that a mugger approaches a jogger on a street, hoping to steal the jogger's wallet. In order to disable the jogger, the mugger strikes him on the head. Unbeknownst to the mugger, the jogger suffers from a rare medical condition that has made his skull as thin and fragile as an eggshell. Therefore, the mugger's assault kills the jogger. Under the "Eggshell Skull Rule," the mugger is liable for the death of the jogger, even though the jogger's death was unintended and unexpected.
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.
