| Contribution and Indemnity |
| When a plaintiff is injured by two or more defendants' tortious acts that join to cause the injury, each defendant is "jointly and severally liable" for that injury. This means that the plaintiff may recover the entire amount of damages from any of the defendants. The defendants, in turn, may seek contribution or indemnity from each other.More... |
| Rules Regarding Driving on the Right Side of a Road and Passing Another Vehicle |
| A motor vehicle driver is generally required to drive on the right side of a road. However, the driver does not need to drive on the right side of the road when he or she is passing another vehicle, when he or she is making a left turn, when the right side of the road is closed to traffic, or when the road has one-way traffic. More... |
| Comparative Negligence vs. Contributory Negligence |
| Under the legal doctrine of comparative negligence, when both the plaintiff and the defendant are guilty of negligence, the plaintiff's damage award will be reduced by the amount of his responsibility for the accident. For example, a motorcycle rider collides with a truck driver at an intersection. More... |
| Abuse of Process |
| It should be obvious that the purpose of the civil justice system is to permit people to obtain justice. Unfortunately, people sometimes try to use the civil justice system for improper purposes, such as revenge. As one would expect, using the civil justice system solely for improper purposes is prohibited by law. The personal injury lawsuit that addresses improper use of the civil justice system, and improper use of the criminal justice system other than malicious prosecution, is known as abuse of process.More... |
| Motor Vehicle Rules |
| 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. More... |