Tort law worksheet with answers

What is a tort?

1. AA civil wrong, other than a breach of contract, that gives a right to compensation
2. BA wrong punished by the state through fines, imprisonment or community service orders
3. CA tax on damages
4. DA type of contract

How do English courts usually treat a person injured while rescuing someone endangered by the defendant's negligence?

1. AThey cannot claim, because they volunteered
2. BThey can usually claim, because rescue is foreseeable
3. CThey can claim only if they are professional rescuers, such as firefighters
4. DThey can claim only half their damages

Contributory negligence usually leads to:

1. AA reduction in the claimant's damages
2. BComplete defeat of the claim in all modern systems
3. CA higher award of damages
4. DCriminal liability for the claimant

Police officers who helped at the Hillsborough disaster suffered psychiatric injury. In White v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire, their claims:

1. ASucceeded, because rescuers are always treated as primary victims in English law
2. BFailed, because they were not in physical danger and were not primary victims
3. CSucceeded, because they were employees of the defendant
4. DFailed, because the police can never sue their employer

A premature baby goes blind. Excess oxygen negligently given was only one of five possible causes. In Wilsher v Essex AHA, the claim:

1. AFailed, because the claimant could not prove the negligence caused the blindness
2. BFailed, because no duty was owed to a baby
3. CSucceeded, with damages reduced by four fifths
4. DSucceeded, because the negligence materially increased the risk of the blindness

A man bangs trays and shouts every time his neighbour, a music teacher, gives lessons, purely to annoy her. In Christie v Davey, the court held:

1. AHis malice made the noise an unreasonable use of land and a nuisance
2. BOnly the police could deal with the noise
3. CMusic lessons are themselves a nuisance
4. DIntention is irrelevant in nuisance, so his motive could not affect the claim

As a practical joke, a man falsely tells a woman that her husband has been badly injured. She suffers a serious illness from the shock. In Wilkinson v Downton, the man was:

1. ALiable only in defamation
2. BNot liable, because it was only a joke
3. CLiable for intentionally causing physical harm by a false statement
4. DNot liable, because there was no direct physical contact with the woman

A tall new building blocks television reception for many nearby homes. In Hunter v Canary Wharf, the House of Lords held:

1. AThere was no nuisance, as nuisance requires noise
2. BThere was a nuisance, but only the council could sue
3. CThere was a nuisance, and all residents, including family members and lodgers, could sue
4. DThere was no actionable nuisance, and only those with an interest in land could sue