Synopsis 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Synopsis 3 - Essay Example Tort law enables ordinary citizens to hold â€Å"political actors and multinational corporations† answerable to the harmful effects of their actions (5). Other reasons suggested by the proponents of this law include â€Å"compensating the injured party, discouraging undesirable behavior in society, reinforcing acceptable social norms, redistribution of wealth and expression of political protest† (7). However, opponents of this law argue that it is â€Å"arbitrary, impinges on economic productivity, erodes notions of personal responsibility, is partly responsible for a ‘compensation’ culture, and, gives undeserving claimants and greedy plaintiffs’ lawyers a leeway to exploit defendants† (5). Forms of tort can be categorized based on the following elements: bodily integrity, personal space, possessory interests, freedom of choice and contract, and one’s standing in the eyes of others (30 – 42). Torts violating bodily integrity include battery – intentional physical touching of another’s body that is harmful or offensive such as hitting, kicking, or stabbing; negligence – carelessly inflicting physical injury on another person; defective products; and strict liability for abnormally dangerous activities – liability incurred on the defendant irrespective of fault for activities that cause physical injuries to passive bystanders such as blasting or transportation of radioactive materials (30-33). Torts violating personal space are those that do not require personal injury for them to be admissible in court such as assault – intentionally acting towards another in a way that causes them to anticipate an imminent harmful/offens ive touching; false imprisonment – intentionally confining a person or cause one to perceive herself as being confined; intentional infliction of emotional distress (sheer outrageousness of defendant’s conduct); and workplace harassment (discrimination based on gender, race, religion or sexual