Under the common law, a person who has sexual relations with a female child is liable to the child's parent for damages. The tort action is based on the parent's lack of consent. Damages are based on the parent's loss of services or the medical expenses that the parent incurred on behalf of the child as a result of the sexual relations. Although these types of cases are quite rare and some states have abolished actions for these types of cases, there are still some states in which the cause of action may be maintained.
Under the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1996, cruise ships may use ticket contracts to disclaim liability for emotional distress, mental suffering, and psychological injury claims by passengers.
The law provides everyone with some basic rights to privacy. Privacy is the general right to be left alone and free from unwanted publicity. Unreasonable invasion of one's privacy causes harm.
Every state has some type of wrongful death statute that allows for a decedent's beneficiaries to recover damages after a defendant willfully or negligently causes the decedent's death. Survival statutes relate to the claims of the decedent rather than those of his heirs.
Under the common law, a person commits a tort when he or she fails to provide a public utility or a public facility to a member of the public. In order to be liable for this tort, the person must have a non-contractual duty to provide the public utility or the public facility to the public. A denial of the public utility or the public facility constitutes a breach of that duty.
