Claim Culture: Mass Litigation and Fault Liability

Course goals

After this course:

•  Students have knowledge and understanding of topics of non-contractual liability (tort law)  such as  fault liability,  liability for defective products, mass torts, state liability, human rights violations, etc. 

• Students are able to form their own opinion through reading literature and case law, also of other jurisdictions (including European case law), academic writing and debating actively.

Content

The course presents a selection of topics of non-contractual liability (tort law) in the Netherlands and a few other national law systems. Statutory rules of tort law are treated as well as recent developments in case law and attention will be paid to the societal impact of tort liability.
The course consists of seven weeks in which the student will attend the tutorials, beginning with an important Introduction into the fault liability rules of the various legal systems (week 1), followed by thematic seminars in the field of –amongst other themes –Nervous Shock, Defective Products, Traffic Liability, Mass torts, Wrongful Birth/Life and Climate Change Liability. Depending upon the number of students, there will be groups of approx. 25 participants of the tutorials, which will provide an interactive discussion forum. The precise literature will be announced on Brightspace.
 

Place of the course within the curriculum:
Optional legal course
Additional requirements:
Any additional requirements of the course are listed in the "Course Program" of the course