Negligence is by far the most common type of tort. Unlike intentional torts, negligence cases do not involve deliberate actions. Negligence occurs when a person fails to act carefully enough and another person gets hurt as a result. For this type of case, a person must owe a duty to another person.
This chapter addresses the four intentional torts, assault, battery, false imprisonment, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, that involve injury to persons—what some call the “dignitary” torts.
Canadian tort law is composed of two parallel systems: a common law framework outside Québec and a civil law framework within Québec, making the law system is bijural, as it is used throughout Canadian provinces except for Québec, which uses private law.
Torts fall into three general categories: Intentional torts (e.g., intentionally hitting a person); Negligent torts (e.g., causing an accident by failing to obey traffic rules); and. Strict liability torts (e.g., liability for making and selling defective products - see Products Liability).
People who commit an intentional tort may plead that they had a valid defence, such as the victim's consent; self-defence; defence of property; necessity; or lawful authority.
The tort of negligence is crucial in Canada's legal system as it promotes accountability and encourages individuals and entities to act with reasonable care to prevent harm to others. It provides a means for injured parties to seek compensation for their losses and serves as a deterrent against negligent behavior.
The Four Elements of a Tort The accused had a duty, in most personal injury cases, to act in a way that did not cause you to become injured. The accused committed a breach of that duty. An injury occurred to you. The breach of duty was the proximate cause of your injury.
Four of them are personal: assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and false imprisonment. The other three are trespass to chattels, trespass to property, and conversion.
The Four Elements of a Tort The accused had a duty, in most personal injury cases, to act in a way that did not cause you to become injured. The accused committed a breach of that duty. An injury occurred to you. The breach of duty was the proximate cause of your injury.