Principles of Commercial Law - Critical Legal Analysis

Internal Code: MAS3653

Law Assignment Assignment

Critical Analysis Keith is a home handyman who advertises in the local Buderim Bugle as a qualified carpenter, although he has no trade qualifications. Ruth is a homeowner and works as a teacher’s aide at a local school. Ruth arranges with Keith for him to replace a rotting timber tread on her back stairs. Keith replaces the tread. However, instead of hardwood, he uses a piece of leftover untreated chipboard. Several weeks later, after several nights of heavy rain, the replaced tread swells and eventually completely collapses overnight. Ruth walks down the back stairs early each morning to feed her caged birds. Ruth takes with her a large number of feeding dishes and other cleaning equipment on the morning following the collapse of the tread. The things Ruth is carrying obscure her vision and she fail to notice the missing tread. She falls heavily downs the stairs dislocating her knee. Keith called Ruth in the hospital the next morning and he told her how sorry he was that she was injured. Ruthfully recovered after two months. However, she did not return to paid employment. She resigned and decided to stay home for 12 months after the incident to devote her time to unpaid charity work before seeking alternative employment. Ruth wants to sue Keith in Negligence and to claim 12 months in lost income and punitive damages to punish him for his incompetence. You are asked to advise Ruth as to her case for Negligence against Keith. Question 1. Demonstration of a knowledge of the law assessed according to accurate statement of legal principles 2.Demonstration of an understanding of the law assessed according to the logical and coherent application of legal principles to the facts.