与责任中合作与疏忽法则关键作用.pdfVIP

Keyaspectsofthelawofcontractandthetortofnegligence

ThisarticleisrelevanttoPaperF4(ENG)

Together,contractandthetortofnegligenceformsyllabusareaBofthePaperF4(ENG)

syllabus:thelawofobliions.Asthisindicates,theareashaveacertainamountin

common:

•theyarebothareasofcivillaw

•theclaimantwillbringanactionagainstthedefendantandmustprovethecaseonthebalanceof

probabilities

•remediesmaybeawardedprovidedthattheclaimant’slossisnottooremoteaconsequenceofthe

defendant’sbreach

•theremediesaregenerallyintendedtocompensatetheclaimantratherthantopunishthedefendant.

Untilrelativelyrecently,tortwasoneoftheareasonPaperF4thatcausedcandidatesthe

mostdifficulty.Inrecentsessions,thetortanswershavetendedtobestronger,butthereis

alsoevidenceofsomeconfusionweentortandcontract,withnegligence-basedmaterial

frequentlyarisinginanswerstocontractquestions.

Theaimofthisbriefarticleistosetoutsomekeyaspectsofcontractandthetortof

negligenceusingthefollowingheadings:

•Therelationshipweentheparties

•Thenatureoftheobliion

•Causationandremotenessofdamage

•Themeasureofdamages.

Usingthesameheadingsshouldremindyouofthekeyaspectsofeachofthetwoareasin

suchawaythatyouareslikelytoconfusethem.(Thewords‘contract’and‘negligence’

aredeliberatelyrepeatedineachheadingsothatyougetintothehabitofdistinguishing

weentheruforeacharea,ratherthanhavingageneralsetofnoteson,say,

remotenessofdamage,whichconfusesmaterialfrombothareas.)

KEYASPECTSOFTHELAWOFCONTRACT

Contract–therelationshipweentheparties

Acontractisalegallybindingagreementformedbythemutualconsentoftheparties.The

partiesmaybeknowntoeachother,aswi