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Action by a Spouse for a Tort against the Other Spouse

When one spouse is injured as a result of a defendant's negligent or tortious conduct, the other spouse is entitled to file an action against the defendant for his or her damages as a result of the defendant's conduct. The spouse who is injured is referred to as the impaired spouse.

Federal Tort Claims Act -- Federal Government Employees

The Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) applies to claims for personal injury caused by the negligence of a federal government employee who is acting within the scope of his or her employment, under circumstances where a private person would be liable under state law. Therefore, the FTCA applies only to personal injury actions that arise from the negligence of a federal government employee.

Res Ipsa Loquitur

In a personal injury action, a plaintiff usually must prove that a defendant was negligent and that the defendant's negligence caused the plaintiff's injuries. However, in some cases, there is no direct evidence of negligence. For example, spectators are watching a basketball game in a high school gymnasium.

Trespass

Trespass is a physical invasion of a property owner's land. A person may be liable to the owner if he causes a trespass, even if he did not know that it was the owner's land.

Tort Law -- Financial Responsibility

Apart from legislation granting a right to sue for a specific harm, personal injury law generally consists of tort law and the civil procedure for enforcing it. Most scholars agree that tort law has four purposes: (1) compensation for damages; (2) financial responsibility; (3) deterrence; and (4) avoiding self-help. This article discusses the purpose of financial responsibility.