| Comparative Negligence vs. Contributory Negligence |
| |
| Under the legal doctrine of comparative negligence, when both the plaintiff and the defendant are guilty of negligence, the plaintiff's damage award will be reduced by the amount of his responsibility for the accident. For example, a motorcycle rider collides with a truck driver at an intersection. More... |
| |
| Damages in Actions Involving Recreational Boating Accidents |
| |
| When an action involving a recreational boating accident is brought in accordance with federal admiralty law, such federal admiralty law controls the issue of damages. Damages under federal admiralty law are similar to damages under the common law.More... |
| |
| Federal Volunteer Protection Act -- Additional Liability Issues |
| |
| The federal Volunteer Protection Act (VPA) grants civil immunity to a volunteer who harms a person while performing services for a nonprofit organization or governmental entity. However, the VPA does not grant immunity to the nonprofit organization or governmental entity. Therefore, the VPA does not prohibit the person who has been harmed by the volunteer from filing a lawsuit against the organization or entity. More... |
| |
| Defamation of a Public Figure |
| |
| A lawsuit for defamation has the following basic elements: (1) making a false statement; (2) about a person; (3) to others; and (4) actual damages (if the harm to the person is not apparent). There is a fifth element when the person is a public official or public figure. In such a case, the person who made the statement has to have made it with a known or reckless disregard of the truth. This article discusses the fifth element for defamation of a public official or public figure.More... |
| |
| Trade Libel |
| |
| If a defendant publishes false statements that injure or disparage a plaintiff's business, he may be liable for trade libel. Trade libel is different from libel because trade libel only applies to a plaintiff's property, whereas libel applies to a plaintiff's reputation. More... |
| |
