covid19-law.com.au
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  • Ch 4: Court Practice & Procedure
    • 1. Open Justice
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    • 3. Evidence
    • 4. Criminal Procedure >
      • A. Adjournments
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      • C. Crimes Mental Impairment
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    • 5. Civil Procedure >
      • A. Abridgements
      • B. Adjournments
      • C. Amendments
      • D. Determinations otherwise than by oral hearing
      • E. Discovery
      • F. Hearings by alternative means
      • G. Security for costs
      • H. Service of documents
      • I. Stay of proceedings, judgments, orders and other decisions
      • J. Timetabling
      • K. Trials by judge alone
  • Ch 5: Further Resources
  • -
  • Last updated: 15 May 2020 (cases); 21 June 2020 (legislation)
  • Home
  • About the Authors
  • Ch 1: Overview
  • Ch 2: Constitution
  • Ch 3: Substantive Law
    • 1. Aged Care
    • 2. Commercial >
      • A. Bankruptcy & Insolvency
      • b. Contract
      • c. Competition & Consumer
      • d. Corporations & Associations
      • e. Transactions
    • 3. Criminal >
      • a. Bail
      • b. Corrections Management
      • c. New Crimes / Infringements
      • d. Sentencing
      • e. Serious & Sex Offenders
      • f. Visitation
      • g. Enforcement
    • 4. Customs & Trade >
      • a. Customs
      • b. Retail Trade
      • c. Gambling & Casinos
    • 5. Defence
    • 6. Emergencies
    • 7. Equity
    • 8. Family >
      • a. Children
      • b. Parenting Orders
      • c. Family Violence
      • d. Marriage
    • 9. Financial >
      • a. Appropriations & financial assistance
      • b. Audits
      • c. Economic Support / Stimulus
      • d. Social Security
      • e. Superannuation
      • f. Taxation
      • g. Insurance
    • 10. Government >
      • a. Obligations
      • b. Government administration
      • c. Public service
      • d. Education
      • e. Transport
      • f. Utilities & Resources
    • 11. Guardianship, Administration & Vulnerable People
    • 12. Human Rights / Civil Liberties
    • 13. Industrial >
      • a. Awards
      • b. Enterprise Agreements
      • c. Stand-downs, redundancies & terminations
      • d. Jobkeeper
      • e. Remuneration & wages
      • f. Leave entitlements
      • g. Protected action
      • h. Workers Comp & Employee safety
    • 14. Maritime
    • 15. Migration
    • 16. Public Security
    • 17. Planning & Environment
    • 18. Property >
      • a. Leases
      • b. Caveats
      • c. Mortgages
      • d. Housing Assistance
      • e. Ownership
    • 19. Public Health >
      • a. Biosecurity / Public Health
      • b. Health & Insurance
      • c. Medicine & Midwifery
      • d. Medicines, Vaccines & Therapeutic Goods
    • 20. Quarantine
    • 21. Regulatory / Professional Discipline
    • 22. Tort
    • 23. Wills & Estates
  • Ch 4: Court Practice & Procedure
    • 1. Open Justice
    • 2. Legislation, Rules and Practice Notes
    • 3. Evidence
    • 4. Criminal Procedure >
      • A. Adjournments
      • B. Hearings by alternative means
      • C. Crimes Mental Impairment
      • D. Juries and trials by judge alone
    • 5. Civil Procedure >
      • A. Abridgements
      • B. Adjournments
      • C. Amendments
      • D. Determinations otherwise than by oral hearing
      • E. Discovery
      • F. Hearings by alternative means
      • G. Security for costs
      • H. Service of documents
      • I. Stay of proceedings, judgments, orders and other decisions
      • J. Timetabling
      • K. Trials by judge alone
  • Ch 5: Further Resources
  • -
  • Last updated: 15 May 2020 (cases); 21 June 2020 (legislation)
  covid19-law.com.au
22. Tort

A.  Overview

COVID-19, and the harm it causes, is not itself causally attributable to any individual or entity. However, there will inevitably be cases in which one person says that another is legally responsible for serious injury or death resulting from COVID-19. Primarily, where damages or other relief are claimed in respect of personal injury or death, the cause of action will be one in tort.

B.  Legislation

As of the last update, we are not aware of any COVID-19 related legislation in this area.

C.  Case law

​Rowson v Department of Justice and Community Safety [2020] VSC 236 is discussed at length in the Government Obligations section of this Chapter. Mr Rowson, a prisoner, alleged that the State, his gaoler, owed him a duty of care to take reasonable steps to ensure that he did not suffer serious injury or death from COVID-19 (at [65]).
 
On an application for an interlocutory injunction, and without making findings of fact, the Court held that Mr Rowson’s evidence “provides a sufficient basis, when taken with the absence of a risk assessment, to establish a prima facie case that the defendants have breached its duty of care to him, which exposes him to risk of significant injury” (at [98]).


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23. Wills & Estates >>
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