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Responsabilité Des Sujets Atteints De Troubles Mentaux En Italie Et En Common Law, Mauro Bussani

Mauro Bussani

The aim of this paper is to challenge the traditional principle of Western negligence law according to which, whatever a person’s characteristics are, his/her behavior should be judged against the standard of care expected from the so-called ‘reasonable person’. In particular, the paper focuses on a special category of subjects who are ‘weaker’ than the average because suffering from a psychological disability. Through the comparative analysis of Italian, English, and American tort law rules involving these persons, the paper shows how courts are acutely aware of the need to introduce some degree of flexibility into the median fault parameter.