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Tort Law -- Like an Implied Contract

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. This article discusses how tort law can be viewed as a series of implied contracts.

Acts of God

In the context of the law, an "act of God" is an accident caused by extraordinary natural forces. An accident caused by lightning, a flood, a hurricane, or an earthquake may constitute an act of God.

Federal Tort Claims Act - Discretionary Function Exception

The Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) bars claims that are based on the performance or failure to perform a discretionary function or duty of a federal agency or federal government employee, even if there is an abuse of discretion. According to this "discretionary function exception," a personal injury action cannot be filed under the FTCA if the employee's negligence arises from a discretionary function or the execution of a statute or regulation.

The Jones Act -- Definition of a Seaman

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.

Claims against the Government

Under the legal doctrine of sovereign immunity, the government cannot be sued without its permission. Sovereign immunity protects the federal government, state and local governments, and government agencies from personal injury lawsuits. However, most governments (including the federal government) have passed laws that waive their sovereign immunity under certain circumstances.