PARTⅠ Introduction 1
CHAPTER 1 Introduction to the Law of Torts and Historical Overview 3
1.1 Definition and classification of torts 4
1.2 Historical origins of the law of torts 9
1.3 Interpretation and construction of legislative provisions 21
1.4 Torts Reforms of 2002-03 23
CHAPTER 2 Damages 31
2.1 Introduction 32
2.2 History of compensation in the law of torts 34
2.3 Nature of compensation in the law of torts 37
2.4 Classification of damages 44
2.5 Special and general (compensatory) damages 54
2.6 General damages 54
2.7 Non-economic loss 55
2.8 Damages for gratuitous services and attendant care 64
CHAPTER 3 Survival Actions and Wrongful Death; Statutory Compensation Schemes 81
3.1 Survival of causes of action 82
3.2 Wrongful death 85
3.3 Statutory compensation schemes 90
PARTⅡ Intentional Torts 103
CHAPTER 4 Trespass to the Person (Battery and Negligent Trespass; Assault and False Imprisonment) 105
4.1 Historical origins of the tort of trespass to the person 105
4.2 The tort of battery 109
4.3 Negligent trespass 114
4.4 The tort of assault 116
4.5 The tort of false imprisonment 121
CHAPTER 5 Trespass to Land 130
5.1 Trespass to land: history and rationale 130
5.2 Elements of the tort of trespass to land 134
5.3 Trespass beneath and above the surface of the land 138
5.4 Damages 140
5.5 Limitations of the tort of trespass to land 142
5.6 Tort of trespass to land and the right to privacy 143
CHAPTER 6 Miscellaneous Intentional Torts of Action on the Case for Personal Injury 147
6.1 Origins of action on the Case 148
6.2 Action on the 0ase for intentional infliction of physical harm 149
6.3 Cause of action for intentional infliction of nervous shock 150
6.4 Malicious prosecution 156
6.5 Tort of collateral abuse of process 162
6.6 Misfeasance in public office 167
6.7 Tort of breach of confidence and misuse of private information 175
CHAPTER 7 Deceit and Injurious Falsehood 184
7.1 Introduction 184
7.2 Deceit 186
7.3 Injurious falsehood 194
CHAPTER 8 Torts of Intentional Interference with Goods/Personal Property 202
8.1 Introduction 203
8.2 Trespass to goods (chattels) 206
8.3 Detinue 212
8.4 Conversion 215
8.5 Special action on the Case for intentional damage to goods 235
8.6 'Spoliation': intentional or negligent destruction of evidence 236
CHAPTER 9 Defences to Intentional Torts 239
9.1 Introduction 239
9.2 The concept of fault in intentional torts 239
9.3 Consent in intentional torts 241
9.4 Statutory defences of legal authority 258
9.5 Defencesto battery 261
9.6 Defencesto false imprisonment 265
9.7 Exceptions and defences to trespass to land 267
9.8 Defence of insanity 271
9.9 Defence of limitation of actions 272
9.10 Mistake 274
PART Ⅲ The Tort of Negligence 277
CHAPTER 10 Negligence: Duty of Care 285
10.1 Introduction 286
10.2 Special kinds of duties and liabilities 303
CHAPTER 11 Breach of Duty of Care 320
11.1 Introduction 321
11.2 Factors that the court must consider when determining the reasonable person's response to the risk 330
11.3 Aspects of statutory provisions relevant to the determination of the breach of duty of care 354
11.4 Specific standards 370
11.5 The nature of inference in law 399
CHAPTER 12 Causation and Proof of Breach 403
12.1 Introduction 404
12.2 Statutory definition of legal causation 415
12.3 Multifactorial causality at common law 431
12.4 Attributing legal liability in cases of failure to advise of a risk of death or injury 451
12.5 Other aspects of causation 462
CHAPTER 13 Remoteness of Damage 478
13.1 Introduction 478
13.2 The meaning of'reasonable foreseeability' 479
13.3 The concept and nature of remoteness of damage 481
13.4 The test for remoteness of damage 484
PART Ⅳ Particular Categones of Case 491
CHAPTER 14 Pure Nonfeasance (Pure Omissions) 499
14.1 Historical introduction: acts and pure omissions 499
14.2 Pure nonfeasance and the common law 500
14.3 Liability of public authorities for omissions at common law 504
14.4 Liability of highway authorities 518
14.5 Entities vested with regulation making power 520
CHAPTER 15 Mental Harm: Liability for Negligently Occasioned Pure Psychiatric Injury 522
15.1 Conceptual underpinnings 523
15.2 The nature of the damage: recognised psychiatric illness 527
15.3 Consequential nature of the injury 529
15.4 Evolution of liability for negligently occasioned pure psychiatric injury 530
15.5 Elements of action for negligently occasioned pure psychiatric injury at common law 539
15.6 Codification of the law of psychiatric injury (mental harm) in Australia 547
CHAPTER 16 Pure Economic Loss 562
16.1 Negligently occasioned pure economic loss 563
16.2 Negligent misstatement 575
16.3 Causation and the doctrine of vulnerability 589
16.4 Remoteness of damage 591
PART Ⅴ Defences to Negligence 595
CHAPTER 17 Defences to Negligence 597
17.1 Introduction 597
17.2 Historical background 599
17.3 Contributory negligence 602
17.4 Assessment of damages 626
17.5 Voluntary assumption of risk 628
17.6 Defence of joint illegal enterprise and the nature of illegality 644
PART Ⅵ ？Torts 651
CHAPTER 18 Public and Private Nuisance 653
18.1 Introduction 654
18.2 Legal species of nuisance 655
18.3 Tort of private nuisance 666
18.4 Interference with the use and enjoyment of property rights 669
18.5 Activities that offend sensibilities of neighbouring occupiers 677
18.6 Titleto sue 681
18.7 Who may be sued? 682
18.8 Remedies 686
18.9 Defences 688
CHAPTER 19 Breach of Statutory Duty 692
19.1 Historical introduction 693
19.2 Nature of private action for breach of statutory duty 694
19.3 Elements of the action for breach of the statutory duty 699
19.4 Defences 708
CHAPTER 20 Vicarious Liability and Non-delegable Duty of Care: Types of Liability 712
20.1 Introduction 713
20.2 Vicarious liability 714
20.3 Non-delegable dutyofcare 730
20.4 Non-delegable duty of care and vicarious liability 740
20.5 Solidaryand proportionate liability 745
PART Ⅶ Defamation 757
CHAPTER 21 Establishing Defamation 759
21.1 Introduction 760
21.2 Libel and slander 763
21.3 Cause of action for publication of defamatory matter 764
21.4 Elements of the cause of action 768
21.5 Element 1: The matter conveys a defamatory imputation or imputations 768
21.6 Element 2: The matter identifies, or is capable of identifying, the plaintiff as the person defamed 781
21.7 Element 3: The matter has been published by the defendant to at least one person other than the plaintiff 784
21.8 Procedural matters 788
CHAPTER 22 Defences and Remedies in Defamation Law 791
22.1 Introduction to defences 792
22.2 Justification 792
22.3 Honest opinion 798
22.4 Absolute privilege 805
22.5 Public documents 807
22.6 Reports of proceedings of public concern 809
22.7 Common law qualified privilege 811
22.8 Statutory qualified privilege 824
22.9 Triviality 828
22.10 The effect of an apology on liability 829
22.11 Remedies 829
22.12 Limitation periods 832
22.13 Offers to make amends 833
Index 835