Law on the Books and Law in Action in the Law of Damage

Recommended Prerequisites

Law of Obligations. Proficiency in French and English.

Teaching Methods

Lectures and final discussion.

Presentation of papers that result from personal research.

Learning Outcomes

To set out and discuss :

-          the core issues on the law of damage (obligation to make compensation) in today’s society, both patrimonial (e.g.  profit prevention through illegal action, perte de chance, loss of use, and also the penalty clause and the exclusion of liability clauses) and non-patrimonial loss;

-          the “biological damage” (its standardization) and the possible responsibility for family rights violation;

-          compensation for non-financial loss to legal entities;

Students are expected to be able to analyze and critically evaluate new problems, like “punitive damages”.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

I. Negative and positive contractual interest.

II. Personal injury.

1. Compensation methods.

2. Non-financial loss; scope and legitimacy questions.

3. The so called “biological damage”.

4. Punitive damages.

5. Moral damages to legal entities?

6. Compensation for violation of family rights.

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Participation in seminar discussions : 15.0%
Research work: 85.0%

Bibliography

Francesco D. BUSNELLI., “Perspectives Européennes d’Harmonisation de l’Indemnisation des Préjudi­ces Non-Economiques: de l’Expérience Italienne du «Dommage Biologique» à la «Recommanda­tion» de Trèves”, in Um Código Civil Para A Europa / A Civil Code For Europe / Un Code Civil Pour L’Europe (Studia Iuridica – 64, Colloquia - 8), Universidade de Coimbra / Coimbra Editora, 2002, págs. 257 s

G. VINEY / P. JOURDAIN,  Les Conditions de la Responsabilité, in Traité de Droit Civil sous la direction de Jacques GHESTIN, 3.^e édition, L.G.D.J., Paris, 2006 ; Les Effets de la Responsabilité, 3.^e édition, L.G.D.J., Paris, 2011.

Filippo RANIERI, Europäisches Obligationenrecht, 3. Auflage, Springer, Wien-New York, 2009 (Kap. 14).

La Réparation Intégrale en Europe, Études Comparatives des Droits Nationaux, sous la direction de Philippe PIERRE et Fabrice LEDUC, Larcier, Bruxelles, 2012.

Henrique Soussa ANTUNES, Da Inclusão do Lucro Ilícito e de Efeitos Punitivos entere as Consequências da Responsabilidade Civil Extracontratual: a sua Legitimação pelo Dano, Coimbra Editora, grupo Wolters Kluwer, 2011.

Antonello NEGRO, Il Nuovo Danno Biologico, Giuffrè Editore, 2011.

Il Quantum nel Danno Esistenziale, a cura di Paolo CENDON, Giuffrè Editore, 2010.

Hermann LANGE / Gottfried SCHIEMANN, Schadensersatz. 3. Auflage, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, 2003.

Il danno non patrimoniale : principi, regole e tabelle per la liquidazione. a cura di Emanuela NAVARRETTA, Milano : Giuffrè Editore, 2010.

Giovanni FACCI, I nuovi danni nella famiglia che cambia,    2ª ed., Milano, IPSOA, 2009.

Critica del danno esistenziale,  a cura di Giulio PONZANELLI, Padova : CEDAM, 2003.

Paulo MOTA PINTO, Interesse contratual negativo e interesse contratual positivo, 2 vols., Coimbra Editora, 2008.

J. SINDE MONTEIRO, “Sobre uma eventual definição da causalidade nos projectos nacionais europeus de reforma da responsabilidade civil”, Revista do Direito do Consumidor, ano 20 (2011), n.º 78, 161-188.

Christian von BAR, The Common European Law of Torts, 2 Vols, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1998 and 2000.

Principles of European Law, Study Group on a European Civil Code, Non-Contractual Liability Arising out of Damage Caused to Another (PEL Liab. Dam.), prepared by Chr. von BAR, transl. by Stephen SWANN, Pádraic MCCANNON and Susan SINGLETON, Sellier, Bruylant, Stämpfli, 2009.