Personal Injury
| Federal Volunteer Protection Act -- Preemption of State Law |
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| The federal Volunteer Protection Act (VPA) preempts state laws to the extent that such laws are inconsistent with the VPA. However, state laws that offer additional protections to volunteers are not preempted by the VPA. More... |
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| Tort Law--Deterrence and Avoiding Self-Help |
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| 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. Most scholars agree that tort law has four purposes: (1) compensation for damages; (2) financial responsibility; (3) deterrence; and (4) avoiding self-help. This article discusses the purposes of deterrence and avoiding self-help. More... |
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| Tort Law -- Like an Implied Contract |
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| 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. This article discusses how tort law can be viewed as a series of implied contracts. More... |
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| Federal Tort Claims Act - Discretionary Function Exception |
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| The Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) bars claims that are based on the performance or failure to perform a discretionary function or duty of a federal agency or federal government employee, even if there is an abuse of discretion. According to this "discretionary function exception," a personal injury action cannot be filed under the FTCA if the employee's negligence arises from a discretionary function or the execution of a statute or regulation. More... |
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| The Jones Act -- Definition of a Seaman |
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| The Jones Act applies only to a "seaman" who is injured while working aboard a vessel in navigable waters. In order to be a "seaman" within the meaning of the Jones Act, the worker must meet certain requirements. More... |
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