Personal Injury
| Professional Rescuers |
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| A rescuer who comes to the aid of a victim of a peril may be either an amateur or a professional, such as a firefighter or a police officer. With respect to amateur rescuers, the "rescue doctrine" may apply to allow the rescuer to recover against the creator of the victim's peril for injuries that he sustains during the rescue. However, professional rescuers are generally unable to rely on the rescue doctrine to recover for their injuries. Instead, the "fireman's rule" ordinarily prevents professionals from recovering without regard to the negligence of the creator of the peril. 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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| Assumption of Risk |
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| Under the legal doctrine of "assumption of risk," a person will not be liable for another person's injuries if the injured person has voluntarily undertaken a risk with knowledge of the dangers that are posed by the risk. The doctrine of assumption of risk may be used as a defense to a personal injury action. More... |
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| Action by a Parent for a Tort against His or Her Child |
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| In accordance with general tort principles, a person who injures a child through his or her tortious conduct is liable to the child for the child's damages. A parent who is entitled to the child's services or who has a legal duty to provide medical treatment for the child is also entitled to damages from the person for the person's tortious conduct towards the child. More... |
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| Custom as Proof of Negligence |
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| In some circumstances, custom may be used as proof of negligence in a personal injury action. For example, a worker in a sawmill is injured when he or she accidentally puts his or her hand onto the blade of an electric saw. More... |
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