| Family Car Doctrine |
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| Under the family car doctrine (or family purpose doctrine), the owner of a car is liable for a plaintiff's personal injuries if the injuries were caused by one of the owner's family members while driving the car. The doctrine applies only to cases in which the car is owned for family purposes and the owner's family members had his or her express or implied permission to drive the car. More... |
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| Pain and Suffering Damages |
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| An injured plaintiff has the right to recover damages for pain and suffering that he might suffer as a result of a defendant's tortious act against the plaintiff. Pain and suffering damages frequently constitute the largest portion of personal injury awards. More... |
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| Defamation of a Public Figure |
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| A lawsuit for defamation has the following basic elements: (1) making a false statement; (2) about a person; (3) to others; and (4) actual damages (if the harm to the person is not apparent). There is a fifth element when the person is a public official or public figure. In such a case, the person who made the statement has to have made it with a known or reckless disregard of the truth. This article discusses the fifth element for defamation of a public official or public figure. More... |
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| Attorney Malpractice Liability to Non-Client |
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| In the course of an attorney's representation of a client, he may commit legal malpractice with respect to his prosecution, defense, or appeal of the client's action or his preparation of transactional documents for the client. The attorney's actions may constitute legal malpractice if he fails to use the skill, prudence, and diligence that attorneys of ordinary skill and capacity would use in performing their legal tasks. In addition to being liable to the client, the attorney may also be liable to a non-client in certain circumstances. More... |
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| Motor Vehicle Rules |
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| Rules regarding the operation of motor vehicles on a state's highways are generally set forth in the state's vehicle code or transportation code. These rules often determine whether a defendant is liable for a motor vehicle accident.
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