TORTS & DAMAGES Atty. Vivencio F. Abao Overview TORTS (Cause) 1. Quasi Delict negligence (culpa aquiliana) 2. Torts in Human Relations intentional acts(culpa aquiliana) 3. Breach of Contract existence ofcontract (culpa contractual) 4. Crime penal statute (culpa criminal) DAMAGES (Effects) 1. Actual Damages (pecuniary loss actually suffered) 2. Moral Damages (pain, anxiety, humiliation, etc.) 3. Nominal Damages (vindication of right violated) 4. Temperate Damages (damage proven but amount not shown) 5. Liquidated Damages (agreed upon in contract) 6. Exemplary Damages (as an example for the public good) Part 1: TORTS I. Quasi Delict: Negligence Part 1: TORTS 1. Quasi Delict: Negligence EQ. Jun Arce travelled from Baguio to Manila on board a Victory Liner bus. He got off at the terminal, and was just about to walk out of the gates when suddenly there was a gunshot and he was hitintheback.ItcamefromanAlphasecurityguardonduty whogavenoexplanationwhyhisshotgunfired.Arcewas rushedtothehospitalwheretheverynextdayarepresentative oftheinsurancecompanyofAlphaSecuritywentand convincedthesedatedArcetosignawaiver.Afterhisrelease fromthehospital,Arcefiledanactionfordamagesagainstthe buscompany,theguard,andtheagency.(a)VictoryLiner deniedliabilityonthegroundthatArcewasnolongerits passengerwhenshotandtheguardwasnotitsemployee;(b) Thesecurityguardcontendedthatthereisnopresumptionof negligenceonhispartbecausetheshotgunwasindispensable tohisjob;(c)AlphaSecurityarguedthatArcehadwaivedand renounced his claim against the defendants. Are their defences correct, and why or why not? Part 1: TORTS 1. Quasi Delict: Negligence EQ.Aclasssuitfordamageswasfiledagainsta manufacturerofseveralbrandsofcigarettes.The plaintiffs,whohadbeenheavysmokersofthesaid cigarettes,werenowsufferinglungandthroat cancerasaresultthereof.Theyclaimedthatthe cigarettes were dangerous and hazardous products.However,themanufacturerraisedseveraldefenses, amongthemthedoctrineofassumptionofrisk.It arguedthatthelabelofitscigaretteshadthe printedwarningSmokingisdangeroustoyour health,andthereforetheplaintiffshadassumed theriskconnectedwithsmoking.Issuchdefense applicable and meritorious? Part 1: TORTS 2. Vicarious / Primary /Solidary Liability Part 1: TORTS 2. Vicarious / Primary / Solidary Liability JUR. A woman of forty went into a coma after an anesthetic accident temporarilydeprivedtheflowofoxygentoherbrain.Amedical negligence/malpracticecasewasfiledagainstthesurgeon, anesthesiologist,andthehospital.Thelatterraisedthedefensethat thephysicianswereindependentcontractors,thatthesurgeon ultimatelyhassolecontroloverthemeansandmethodsofthework tobeaccomplished,andthatpursuanttotheCaptainoftheShip doctrine he is responsible for everyones negligence in the operating room. Thehospitalwasfoundsolidarilyliablefordamagesonthegroundof employer-employeerelationship.Itexercisessignificantcontrolinthe hiringofspecialists(consultant)physiciansfortheprivilegeof maintainingaclinicand/oradmittingpatientsinthehospital.It terminates those who fall short of the minimum acceptable standards.Allthesefulfilltheimportanthallmarksofanemployer-employee relationship, with the exception of the payment of wages. Should the hospitals liability be vicarious instead of solidary?What is the hospitals defense? Part 1: TORTS 2. Vicarious / Primary / Solidary Liability EQ. Rivero a law student, and Montano, a commerce student, were studying at the same school.They were courtingthesamegirlandintenselydislikedeach other.Oneday,duringabreakintheirrespective classes,theybumpedintheschoolcorridorand startedinsultingeachother.Suddenly,Montano stabbedRivero.(a)Underwhatconditionscanthe motherofMontanobeheldliablefordamagesdue to the injury caused by her son?(b)Can the teacher ofMontanobeheldresponsible?(c)Supposing Montanowasaworkingstudentandemployedat theschoolsregisteroffice,cantheschoolbeheld liable? Part 1: TORTS 3. Special Torts (HumanRelations) Part 1: TORTS 3. Special Torts (Human Relations) EQ.TheRocescoupleandtheAristoncouple hadalwayswantedtheirchildrenLuisRoces and Cynthia Ariston, both now 18 years old, to marryeachother.Althoughhewasinlove withanothergirl,Luisobeyedhisparentsand made a promise to Cynthia to marry her. Their parentsproceededtomakeallthewedding preparations.But the day before the wedding, Luis eloped with the other girl.Cynthia and her parents filed a damage suit against Luis and his parents.Are the Roces couple and Luis liable? Part 1: TORTS 4. Interference inContractual Relation Part 1: TORTS 4. Interference in Contractual Relation EQ.Aida,anagentofFil-Estate,wasable to convince Mr. Barredo to buy a unit in the condominiumbuildingofhercompany. Leila,anagentofanothercompany, learnedofthattransactionandalso offeredMr.Barredoaunitinadifferent building.Helikedthesecondunitmore, decidedtobuyit,andwithdrawfromthe earlierdealwithAida.IsLeilaliablefor interference in contractual relations? Part 1: TORTS 5. Civil Liability Arising FromCrimePart 1: TORTS 5. Civil Liability Arising From Crime EQ. Your client filed a criminal complaint for reckless imprudence resulting in damage to propertyagainstabusdriver.Thelatter wasconvictedbutdidnotpaythecivil awar df ordamagesamount i ngt o P100,000.00 because he was insolvent and/orcouldnolongerbelocated.What pleadingwillyoufileinthecaseandwhat areyourequiredtoproveinsupportof such pleading in order that your client can collect the award for damages. Part 2: DAMAGES 1. Actual Damages Part 2: DAMAGES 1. Actual Damages EQ.Roywasa35year-oldcompanyexecutiveearning P400,000.00 a year while his wife Rose is a businesswomanwith a monthly income of P30,000.00 One night, they were on their way home when a carload of 3 armed men blocked their car.Thearmedmenrobbedthecoupleoftheirjewelriescosting P300,000.00andtooktheircarworthP500,000.00.Before escaping,oneofthemrapedRoseinthepresenceofRoy whomtheybeatup.Thecouplewerebroughtbysome passerbytothehospitalwhereRoylaterexpired,whileRose wasincapacitatedfor2months.Hospitalandfuneral expensescostP100,000.00andP80,000.00.Sometimeafter, thearmedmenwerearrestedandcharged.Astheprivate prosecutorforRose,whatactualdamages,includingthe amounts, will you ask the court to award to her? (Formula for loss of earning capacity: 2/3[80-age at death] x net income personal expense.) Part 2: DAMAGES 1. Actual Damages RULE.TheMonetaryBoardinitsResolution No.796datedMay16,2013approvedthe followingrevisionsgoverningtherateof interest in the absence of stipulation in loan contracts,thus:The rate of interest for the loanorforbearanceofanymoney,goods orcredi tsandtherateal l owedi n judgments,intheabsenceofanexpress contract as to such rate of interest, shall be six percent (6%) per annum. Part 2: DAMAGES 2. Moral Damages Part 2: DAMAGES 2. Moral Damages EQ.Josewasapassengerinapublic bus which was bumped from behind by a truck.Due to the impact, the bus hit a parkedvan.Josewasinjuredandfiled acomplaintforbreachofcontractof carriage against the bus company, and thelatterfiledathird-partycomplaint againstthetruckowner.MayJosebe awarded moral damages? Part 2: DAMAGES 3. Nominal Damages Part 2: DAMAGES 3. Nominal Damages EQ.TheCruzfamilywereoutoftheir houseoneevening,andonlytheir maidswerethere.Policemen, withoutanysearchwarrant,barged insideandransackedsomerooms.Whentheyleft,nothingwaslostor missing from the house. Will there be anyliabilityonthepartofthe policemen? Part 2: DAMAGES 4. Temperate Damages Part 2: DAMAGES 4. Temperate Damages JUR.Inonecase,thefatherofthevictim claimed actual damages for burial expenses andtestifiedthereon.However,hefailedto presentreceiptstosubstantiatehisclaim.Thecourtgrantedtemperatedamagesin the amount of P10,000. In another case, the wi dowofthevi cti mcl ai medactual damages,whichincludedfuneralexpenses amountingtoP30,000.Butshemerely submittedastatementofexpensesshehad preparedherself.Thecourtgrantedher temperate damages instead. Part 2: DAMAGES 5. Liquidated Damages Part 2: DAMAGES 5. Liquidated Damages JUR.Ifthecontract,whichcontainsa provisiononliquidateddamages,isvoid,no liquidateddamagesmaybeawardedin caseofbreachthereof.Theprincipal obligationisvoid,andhence,theprovision onliquidateddamagesisnon-existent.The nullityoftheprincipalobligationcarriedwith itthenullityoftheaccessoryobligationof liquidateddamages.Theinjuredpartymay onlyrecoverthroughothersourcesof obligations such as a law or a quasi-contract. Part 2: DAMAGES 6. Exemplary Damages Part 2: DAMAGES 6. Exemplary Damages RULE.Incrime,exemplarydamages may be imposed when there was one or moreaggravatingcircumstances.In quasi-delict,itmaybegrantedifthe defendant acted with gross negligence.Incontractandquasi-contract,the def endantact edi nawant on, fraudulent,reckless,oppressive,or malevolent manner. Part 2: DAMAGES 7. Attorneys Fees Part 2: DAMAGES 7. Attorneys Fees EQ.Atrialjudgerendereda decisioninfavoroftheplaintiff awarding,amongothers,thesum ofP50,000.00asattorneysfees.Thebodyofthedecisiondidnot statethereasonorgroundforthe awardofattorneysfees.Issuch award valid or not, and why? Part 2: DAMAGES 7. Attorneys Fees EQ.Thetrialcourtinitsdecisiongranted attorneysfeeof10%onthelandinlitigation.The decision was appealed by the losing party.Thenthecourtgrantedthemotionofthe winningpartytoannotatetheattorneyslien.The court was wrong.Firstly, it had already lost jurisdictionbecauseoftheappeal,andthe annotationgrantedwasequivalenttothe executionthepartoftheappealeddecision grantingtheattorneyslien.Secondly, attorneys lien does not extend to land subject of litigation and is invalid.