NEGLIGENCE IS A MATTER OF FACT

In all cases in which damages is being claimed for negligence the Court is to bear it in mind that negligence is a matter of or question of fact and not law and thus a finding as of fact of the act of omission or commission of the defendant must first be made before damages could be assessed. See also M. O. Kanu & Sons Co. Ltd v. First Bank of Nigeria Plc (2006) LPELR 1797 (SC).

— O. Oyewumi, J. Aseidu v Japaul (2019) – NICN/AK/01/2016

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NEGLIGENCE IS A QUESTION OF FACT NOT OF LAW

It is settled that negligence is a question of fact and not of law. So, each case must be decided in the light of facts pleaded and proved. No one case, is exactly like another. – NIMPAR, J.C.A. Diamond Bank v. Mocok (2019)

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WHEN DOES NEGLIGENCE ARISE

Negligence is the tort that protects a person from careless action from another, that can injure or harm him. The law places a duty of care on various persons in various circumstances, where such a person breaches the duty of care placed upon him by law and that breach resulted in injury to the person to whom such duty is owed, the bearer of the duty is said to have been negligent and will be liable in damages to repair the injury caused.

– Tukur JCA. Odulate v. FBN (2019)

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WHAT IS NEGLIGENCE?

The Supreme Court in the case of HAMZA V. KURE (2010) LPELR-1351(SC) (P. 14, paras. E-G) Per Mohammad J.S.C., defined negligence thus: “As far back as 1856, Lord Alderson B., defined negligence to be the omission to do something which a reasonable man, guided upon those considerations which ordinarily regulate the conduct of human affairs, would do, or doing something which a prudent and reasonable man would not do. See: BLYTH V. BIRMINGHAM WATERWORKS COMPANY. [1856] 11 Exch. 781 at 784. It may consist in omitting to do something which ought to be done or in doing something which ought to be done either in a different manner or not at all.”

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TORT OF NEGLIGENCE AND THE ISSUE OF DAMAGES

The tort of negligence is a civil wrong consisting of breach of a legal duty to care which results in damage. Thus, three things must be proved before the liability to pay damages for tort of negligence and these are:- (a) That the defendant owned the plaintiff a duty to exercise due care. (b) That the defendant failed to exercise due care, and (c) That the defendant’s failure was the cause of the injury in the proper sense of that term.

– Shuaibu JCA. Diamond Bank v. Mocok (2019)

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PROOF OF DUTY OF CARE IS REQUISITE FOR NEGLIGENCE TO SUCCEED

The authorities are replete that a successful plea of negligence consists of proving the trivet issues of duty, breach and subsequent damages. In the case of GKF Investment Nigeria Ltd v. Nigerian Telecommunications Plc [2009] 15 NWLR (Pt 1164) 34, it is settled that the particulars of the pleading the breach of a duty of care is required as stated supra and it can neither be assumed or indirect; where there is no real duty to be exercised by the defendants, negligence will have no limbs to stand and any claim articulated thereon will fail.

— O. Oyewumi, J. Aseidu v Japaul (2019) – NICN/AK/01/2016

NEGLIGENCE IS A QUESTION OF FACT

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NEGLIGENCE IS A MATTER OF FACT

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NEGLIGENCE IS A QUESTION OF FACT NOT OF LAW

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WHEN DOES NEGLIGENCE ARISE

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WHAT IS NEGLIGENCE?

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TORT OF NEGLIGENCE AND THE ISSUE OF DAMAGES

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PROOF OF DUTY OF CARE IS REQUISITE FOR NEGLIGENCE TO SUCCEED

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