Torts: Remedies

Part of a Current Project

Restatement of the Law, Third,

This project is part of ALI’s ongoing revision of the Restatement Second of Torts. Portions of the Restatement Second have been superseded by the Restatement Third of Torts: Products Liability, Apportionment of Liability, Liability for Physical and Emotional Harm, and Liability for Economic Harm.

This Restatement will cover several distinct types of issues. The first is identifying the types of damages that are recoverable, including past and future lost wages, medical expenses, disfigurement, pain and suffering, lost profits, and damage to property. The second type involves issues related to measuring damages, for example, discounting future earnings to present value, the effect of taxes, and the collateral-source rule. The third type is injunctions against threatened or continuing torts or to reverse the effects of completed torts. And the fourth type is other forms of monetary relief, such as nominal and punitive damages and restitution of unjust enrichment.

Shop individual parts

Tentative Draft No. 1
Tentative Draft No. 1
306 pages, 2022, #1R3TRETD1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page
Project Status at a Glance .............................................................................................. xiv
Foreword .......................................................................................................................... xv
Reporters’ Memorandum ................................................................................................. xvi
Preliminary Overall Table of Contents .............................................................................. xix
INTRODUCTION
THE RIGHT TO A REMEDY
§ 1. Availability of Tort Remedies ..................................................................................... 1
CHAPTER 1
COMPENSATORY DAMAGES
TOPIC 1
GENERAL RULES FOR MEASURING COMPENSATORY DAMAGES
§ 2. Restoring the Rightful Position (Make-Whole Relief) ................................................ 9
§ 3. One Satisfaction (No Double Recovery) .................................................................. 15
§ 4. Descriptive Categories of Damages (Immediate, Consequential, Direct,
General, and Special Damages) ..................................................................................... 26
§ 5. Reasonable Certainty ............................................................................................... 37
§ 6. Scope of Liability (Proximate Cause) ...................................................................... 54
§ 7. Unforeseeable Amount or Extent of Harm (Thin-Skull Plaintiffs) .............................. 56
§ 8. Avoidable Consequences (Mitigation of Damages) .................................................. 62
§ 9. Offsetting Benefits ................................................................................................... 127
§ 10. Compensation or Benefits from Collateral Sources ............................................... 146
§ 11. Loss of Chance [to come] ....................................................................................... 168
§ 12. Multiple Sufficient Causes [to come] ....................................................................... 168
§ 13. Taxes ....................................................................................................................... 169
§ 14. Interest ..................................................................................................................... 193
§ 15. Present Value ........................................................................................................... 209
§ 16. Attorneys’ Fees ........................................................................................................ 229
§ 17. Excessive and Inadequate Damages (New Trials, Remittitur, and Additur) ..... 248
Appendix. Black Letter of Tentative Draft No. 1 ........................................................ 274
Tentative Draft No. 1 contains § 1, The Right to a Remedy, and Sections from Topic 1, General Rules for Measuring Compensatory Damages, of Chapter 1 on Compensatory Damages.. The membership voted to approve §§ 1-4 and 6-8 of the draft at the 2022 Annual Meeting, subject to the discussion at the Meeting and editorial prerogative. The approved material may be cited as representing the Institute’s position until the official text is published.
306 pages, 2022, #1R3TRETD1E
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page
Project Status at a Glance .............................................................................................. xiv
Foreword .......................................................................................................................... xv
Reporters’ Memorandum ................................................................................................. xvi
Preliminary Overall Table of Contents .............................................................................. xix
INTRODUCTION
THE RIGHT TO A REMEDY
§ 1. Availability of Tort Remedies ..................................................................................... 1
CHAPTER 1
COMPENSATORY DAMAGES
TOPIC 1
GENERAL RULES FOR MEASURING COMPENSATORY DAMAGES
§ 2. Restoring the Rightful Position (Make-Whole Relief) ................................................ 9
§ 3. One Satisfaction (No Double Recovery) .................................................................. 15
§ 4. Descriptive Categories of Damages (Immediate, Consequential, Direct,
General, and Special Damages) ..................................................................................... 26
§ 5. Reasonable Certainty ............................................................................................... 37
§ 6. Scope of Liability (Proximate Cause) ...................................................................... 54
§ 7. Unforeseeable Amount or Extent of Harm (Thin-Skull Plaintiffs) .............................. 56
§ 8. Avoidable Consequences (Mitigation of Damages) .................................................. 62
§ 9. Offsetting Benefits ................................................................................................... 127
§ 10. Compensation or Benefits from Collateral Sources ............................................... 146
§ 11. Loss of Chance [to come] ....................................................................................... 168
§ 12. Multiple Sufficient Causes [to come] ....................................................................... 168
§ 13. Taxes ....................................................................................................................... 169
§ 14. Interest ..................................................................................................................... 193
§ 15. Present Value ........................................................................................................... 209
§ 16. Attorneys’ Fees ........................................................................................................ 229
§ 17. Excessive and Inadequate Damages (New Trials, Remittitur, and Additur) ..... 248
Appendix. Black Letter of Tentative Draft No. 1 ........................................................ 274
Tentative Draft No. 1 contains § 1, The Right to a Remedy, and Sections from Topic 1, General Rules for Measuring Compensatory Damages, of Chapter 1 on Compensatory Damages.. The membership voted to approve §§ 1-4 and 6-8 of the draft at the 2022 Annual Meeting, subject to the discussion at the Meeting and editorial prerogative. The approved material may be cited as representing the Institute’s position until the official text is published.