What ways does the legal relationship between the parties in tort different to the relationship on contract law?

Answer 1

The legal relationship between parties differs between tortious law and contract law. Tort law is designed to compensate those who have suffered a loss or injury due to another person's wrongful act. Contract law is encourages competent parties in a contract for lawful objectives, contract law deals with the relationship made between parties when forming a contract of norms. Common law governs all contracts except when it has been modified or replaced by statutory law or administrative agency regulations. The main difference in liability between both laws, is in contract law the parties should have a contract between them where one party can claim liability for the breach of contract made by another party. In tortious law, one party can claim liability from the other party without having a contract between them; tort law is a law of "personal wrong". In some cases contract law and tort law can be connected, for example, in professional negligence, a doctor has a duty of care and a oral contract (offer and acceptance) between him and the patient when performing a surgery, and if he didn't follow professional duty of care he's liable under tort and contractual law for strict liability. In a contract, the terms determine the liability of both parties and the nature of agreement, in tort law it is the duty of care that is applied when determining liability. In case of damage in contractual law, court checks the agreement contract between parties and what reasonable contemplation of the parties at the time of contracting. In case of damage in tortuous law, court tests the remoteness of the damage or what was foreseeable at the time of negligence.

The legal relationship between parties in tort law is referred to as a "special relationship" which may exist in a number of situations, for example: There is a special relationship between an employer and employee, between individuals, between doctor and patient (professional relationship), and between a manufacturer and consumer. Lord Atkin in the case Donoghue v Stevenson (1932)discussed earlier, formed "The Nieghbor Principle". This principle states that an individual must take reasonable care to avoid acts of omissions which can possibly injure your neighbor. For example, while driving on the road, your supposed to take duty of care to avoid an act of omission which can harm your neighbor (neighbor is referred to any road-user on the road that you have a special relationship with). In contract, The legal relationship between parties in a contract is determined by all parties and law would abide the contract as long as the contract is fair and valid.