Financial Compensation for Victims of Catastrophes : A Comparative Legal Approach (Tort and Insurance Law) (Tort and Insurance Law)

475 Pages·2006·5.59 MB·English

W
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................1
Part I. Problem Definition...........................................................................1
Part II. Goal of this Book.............................................................................2
Part III. Methodology....................................................................................3
Part IV. Framework of the Project.................................................................4
Part V. Collaborators in this Project.............................................................5
Part VI. Structure of this Book......................................................................5
Part VII. Words of Thanks..............................................................................6
COUNTRY REPORTS.....................................................................................7
Austria(Dagmar Hinghofer-Szalkay and Bernhard A. Koch).......................7
Part I. Introduction......................................................................................7
Part II. Information on Specific Compensation Systems.............................8
I. Tort..........................................................................................8
A. Fault Liability....................................................................8
B. Strict Liability...................................................................9
C. State Liability..................................................................10
D. Procedure.........................................................................11
II. Social Security......................................................................11
III. The Austrian Fund for Catastrophes.....................................12
A. Introduction.....................................................................12
B. Financing of the Fund.....................................................12
C. Two Examples.................................................................13
1. Lower Austria.............................................................13
2. Salzburg......................................................................14
D. Summary.........................................................................15
1. Procedure....................................................................15
2. Heads and Amount of Damages.................................15
3. Rules Preventing Cumulation.....................................15
IV. Private Insurers.....................................................................16
A. First-Party Insurance.......................................................16
B. Third-Party Insurance......................................................17
C. Catastrophe Management................................................17
1. Catastrophe Management in General..........................17
2. Mass Collisions in Particular......................................17
VI Table of Contents
Part III. Detailed Information on Specific Catastrophes.............................19
I. Natural Catastrophes.............................................................19
A. Galtür Avalanche 1999....................................................19
B. Flood 2002......................................................................21
1. Action by the Federal Government.............................21
2. Details on Lower Austria............................................23
3. Details on Salzburg.....................................................24
4. Private Compensation.................................................24
5. State Liability..............................................................27
II. Man-Made Catastrophes.......................................................28
A. Lassing Mine Collapse 1998...........................................28
B. Bergisel Panic 1999.........................................................29
C. Kaprun Ski Train Fire 2000............................................31
Part IV. Conclusions....................................................................................34
List of References..........................................................................................35
Belgium(Isabelle C. Durant)........................................................................37
Part I. Introduction....................................................................................37
Part II. Method...........................................................................................38
Part III. General Scope of the Compensation System.................................38
I. Patchwork of Regulations.....................................................38
II. First Overall Survey of the Various Rules............................38
A. Tort Law..........................................................................38
B. Insurance Law.................................................................39
1. Federal Legislation.....................................................41
2. Flemish Legislation....................................................42
3. Brussels Legislation....................................................44
4. Walloon Legislation....................................................45
C. Social Security.................................................................45
D. Solidarity.........................................................................46
Part IV. More Detailed Information............................................................48
I. Social Security System.........................................................48
A. Workmen’s Compensation Law......................................48
B. Health Insurance..............................................................51
II. Tort Law................................................................................53
A. Three Basic Requirements..............................................53
1. Damaging Event.........................................................53
2. Damage.......................................................................55
3. Causal Link.................................................................56
B. Compensation..................................................................56
1. General Rule: Compensation of the Entire
Certain Loss................................................................56
2. Heads of Damage........................................................57
III. Natural Disasters...................................................................59
A. General Overview...........................................................59
Table of Contents VII
B. Summary of the Legal System Concerning
Public Disasters...............................................................60
C. Summary of the Legal System Concerning
Natural Disasters.............................................................63
D. Weaknesses of the Actual System and
New Prospects.................................................................65
Part V. Procedures......................................................................................70
I. Social Security System.........................................................70
A. Charter of the Socially Insured........................................70
B. The Workmen’s Compensation Law...............................70
II. Tort Law................................................................................71
III. Insurance Law.......................................................................71
A. General Rule....................................................................71
B. Fire Insurance – Property Insurance................................72
IV. Natural Disasters...................................................................72
Part VI. Combination of the Various Systems............................................73
Part VII. Financing........................................................................................74
Part VIII.Amounts of Damages.....................................................................74
Part IX. Empirics.........................................................................................75
Part X. General Comments.........................................................................77
List of References..........................................................................................78
France(Michel Cannarsa, Fabien Lafay, and Olivier Moréteau)................81
Part I. Introduction ...................................................................................81
Part II. General Scope of the Compensation System.................................82
I. Physical Injury......................................................................82
II. Damage to Property..............................................................83
Part III. More Detailed Information............................................................84
I. Social Security......................................................................84
II. Insurance...............................................................................85
A. Insurance Cover of Natural Catastrophes........................86
B. Insurance Cover of Man-made Catastrophes..................88
III. Compensation Funds.............................................................89
IV. Tort Law................................................................................91
A. Private Law.....................................................................91
1. Liability Based on Fault..............................................92
2. Strict Liability.............................................................92
B. Public Law.......................................................................94
Part IV. Procedure.......................................................................................95
I. Insurance Schemes................................................................95
II. Compensation Funds.............................................................96
III. Tort Law................................................................................98
A. Interlocutory Proceedings...............................................98
B. Limitation Periods...........................................................99
Part V. Financing......................................................................................101
I. Social Security Contributions and Insurance Premiums.....101
VIII Table of Contents
II. Reassurance and State Guarantee.......................................101
III. Funding the Compensation Funds......................................103
Part VI. Heads and Amounts of Damages.................................................104
I. Under Tort Law...................................................................104
A. Recoverable Losses.......................................................104
1. Property Damage......................................................105
2. Pecuniary Losses (past, actual and future)...............105
3. Damnum Emergens..................................................105
4. Lucrum Cessans .......................................................105
5. Non-Pecuniary Losses..............................................106
B. Lump Sums, Periodical Payments,
Interim Payments...........................................................107
II. Recoverable Losses under Specific Regimes.....................108
Part VII. Rules Preventing Cumulative Benefits........................................109
I. Social Security Benefits......................................................110
II. Insurance Companies Benefits............................................111
III. Benefits Received from Compensation Funds....................112
Part VIII.Empirics.......................................................................................113
I. The Tempests of December 1999.......................................114
II. The Sinking of the Tanker Erika.........................................114
III. The Toulouse AZF Explosion.............................................115
IV. The Rhone Flood of December 2003..................................116
Part IX. Conclusion...................................................................................116
List of References........................................................................................118
Germany(Ulrich Magnus).........................................................................119
Part I. Introduction..................................................................................119
Part II. General Scope of the Compensation System...............................121
Part III. Specific Regulations....................................................................123
I. Ad hoc Legislation..............................................................123
II. Tort Law..............................................................................124
A. Strict Liability...............................................................124
B. Fault Liability................................................................128
III. Insurance Law.....................................................................129
A. Private Insurance Law...................................................129
B. Social Insurance Law....................................................130
IV. Further Possible Sources.....................................................131
A. Liability for Acts of State Officials...............................131
B. Further Possible State Liability.....................................132
Part IV. Procedural Questions...................................................................133
I. Distribution of Means under the
Flutopferhilfesolidaritätsgesetz..........................................133
II. Normal Tort Law Procedure...............................................135
III. Private Insurance Regulation Procedure.............................136
IV. Social Insurance Regulation Procedure..............................137
Part V. Cumulation of Claims?................................................................137
Table of Contents IX
Part VI. Financing......................................................................................138
Part VII. Heads and Amounts of Damages.................................................139
Part VIII.Empirics.......................................................................................140
Part IX. Reform Proposals; Criticism........................................................141
I. Reform Proposals................................................................141
II. Criticism..............................................................................142
Part X. Concluding Remarks....................................................................143
List of References........................................................................................143
Italy(Alberto Monti and Filippo Andrea Chiaves).....................................145
Part I. Introduction .................................................................................145
Part II. The General Framework of Disaster Law in Italy.......................147
Part III. Legislation, Rules and Regulations..............................................147
I. The Law of Torts................................................................148
II. Dangerous Activities...........................................................150
III. Nuisance..............................................................................153
IV. Moral Damages...................................................................154
V. Specific Issues: Mass Infections.........................................157
VI. Specific Issues: Smoking....................................................158
VII. Class Actions?.....................................................................159
VIII. Rules of Procedure..............................................................161
Part IV. Mass Torts and Environmental Protection Issues........................163
I. Mass Torts...........................................................................163
II. Environment Protection......................................................164
A. The Environment Act (Law No. 349 of 1986)..............164
B. Other Statutory Provisions............................................166
C. Legal Qualification of Environmental Damage
as Health Injuries...........................................................167
D. Nature of Liability. Standing to Sue..............................167
Part V. State Subsidizing. Special Laws and Extraordinary
Government Contributions...........................................................169
Part VI. The European Union Solidarity Fund..........................................171
Part VII. Private Insurance..........................................................................172
I. Private Insurance and Environment Issues.........................173
II. Private Insurance and the Costs of Catastrophes................175
Part VIII.The Major Italian Disasters and Catastrophes.............................175
I. The Vajont Disaster (9 October 1963)................................176
II. The Asti Flood (4 September 1948)....................................176
III. The Cermis Accidents
(9 March 1976 and 3 February 1998).................................177
IV. The Seveso Dioxin Cloud (10 July 1976)...........................178
V. The Stava – Val di Fiemme Disaster (19 July 1985)..........180
VI. Floods, Fires, Earthquakes, Droughts and Oil Spills..........181
Part IX. Future Perspectives in the Italian Disaster Recovery System......182
I. Shared Views .....................................................................182
II. The “Mixed” System: Foreign Models...............................184
X Table of Contents
III. ISVAP’s Proposals..............................................................185
IV. Law Reform Bills Introducing Mandatory Insurance
Coverage for Disasters........................................................186
A. Reform Bill No. 1164/1993...........................................186
B. ANIA’s Mapping Plan..................................................187
C. Reform Bill No. 235/1996.............................................187
D. Reform Bill No. 533/2001.............................................189
E. ANIA’s 2003 Proposals and Government’s
Current Reform Plan.....................................................189
Part X. Conclusions..................................................................................191
List of References........................................................................................192
The Netherlands(Michael Faure and Ton Hartlief).................................195
Part I. Introduction..................................................................................195
Part II. General Scope of the Compensation............................................197
Part III. More Specific Information...........................................................198
I. Liability Law.......................................................................198
II. Social Security....................................................................201
III. Insurance.............................................................................202
IV. WTS 1998...........................................................................206
V. Compensation Funds...........................................................208
Part IV. Heads of Damage and Accumulation of Compensation..............212
Part V. Empirical Evidence......................................................................215
I. Legionella in Bovenkarspel................................................216
II. Flooding..............................................................................218
III. Enschede.............................................................................218
IV. Volendam............................................................................220
Part VI. Criticisms and Reform.................................................................222
I. Criticism..............................................................................222
II. Reform................................................................................223
List of References........................................................................................224
Sweden(Siv Nyquist and Erik Persson)......................................................227
Part I. General Scope of the Compensation System...............................227
Part II. Detailed Information ...................................................................227
Part III. Procedure to Obtain Compensation for Damage.........................230
I. Personal Injuries..................................................................230
A. Social Insurance Administration...................................230
B. Costs for Medical and Dental Care and Medicines
from the Social Insurance..............................................231
C. Loss of Income..............................................................231
D. Support for the Disabled from the Social
Insurance.......................................................................232
E. Other Social Insurance Benefits in Case of Death........232
F. The Work Injuries Insurance Act .................................233
G. Support According to the Social Services Act..............233
Table of Contents XI
H. Compensation from Private Insurances for
Personal Injuries............................................................234
I. Criminal Injuries Compensation...................................235
II. Compensation for Property Damage ..................................237
III. Particular Compensation Mechanism for
Catastrophes........................................................................237
A. Insurances According to the Swedish
Environmental Code......................................................238
1. Environmental Damage Insurance............................238
2. Environmental Clean-up Insurance..........................239
B. Income Tax Act.............................................................240
C. The Nuclear Liability Act.............................................241
D. Law on Extraordinary Occurrences in Peacetime
in the Municipality and County Council.......................242
E. The Reformed Rescue Service Act...............................242
F. The Motor Traffic Damage Act....................................243
G. Responsibilities for Dams at Hydroelectric
Power Stations...............................................................243
Part IV. Administrative Procedure and Appeals.......................................244
I. Elements of Proof...............................................................245
II. Public Legal Aid and Private Legal Expenses
Insurance.............................................................................246
A. Private Legal Expenses Insurance.................................246
B. Public Legal Aid............................................................246
Part V. Coordination or Cumulation........................................................248
Part VI. Discussion....................................................................................250
Part VII. Heads and Amounts of Damages.................................................250
I. Third Party Insurance..........................................................252
Part VIII.Empirics.......................................................................................253
I. Discotheque Fire in Gothenburg.........................................253
II. The Ferry Estonia................................................................255
III. Chernobyl............................................................................256
IV. EU Summit Meeting...........................................................256
V. Agricultural Damage...........................................................256
Part IX. Conclusions..................................................................................258
List of References........................................................................................259
United Kingdom(Michael Huber and Tola Amodu).................................261
Part I. Introduction..................................................................................261
Part II. Conceptual Concerns...................................................................263
I. State, Insurance and Law....................................................263
II. Catastrophe, Hazard or Disaster?........................................264
Part III. The General Scope of the Compensation Regime.......................266
Part IV. The British Compensation Regime..............................................267
I. Social Security in the UK...................................................267
II. Social Security Benefits and Insurance...............................269
XII Table of Contents
A. Welfare or Social Security Entitlements for
Industrial Injuries..........................................................269
B. Compensating Man-made Catastrophes extra
the Benefits System.......................................................271
III. Compensating Natural Hazards..........................................272
Part V. Compensation Funds....................................................................276
I. Flood...................................................................................276
II. Terrorism.............................................................................276
Part VI. Legal Procedures..........................................................................278
I. The Duty of Care................................................................281
II. The Liability of Public Bodies............................................283
III. Access.................................................................................284
IV. Limitation of Actions..........................................................286
Part VII. The Assessment of Damages in Tort Law...................................287
I. The Recovery of Cumulative Benefits................................288
Part VIII.Procedures....................................................................................289
I. Insurance Schemes..............................................................289
II. Fund Solutions....................................................................290
III. Natural Hazards/Insurance..................................................291
Part IX. Financing......................................................................................291
Part X. New Developments......................................................................292
I. Flood Insurance...................................................................292
II. Terrorism after September 2001.........................................295
III. Compensation Culture........................................................296
IV. Public Inquiries and Negotiations.......................................296
Part XI. Concluding Remarks....................................................................300
List of References........................................................................................300
United States(Robert L. Rabin and Suzanne A. Bratis).............................303
Part I. Introduction..................................................................................303
I. The Role of Tort: Responsible Party..................................303
II. Natural Disasters.................................................................306
Part II. Social Welfare Legislation in the U.S.:
General Disability Provisions......................................................307
I. The U.S. Social Security System: Background..................307
II. Disability Provisions: Eligibility Standards........................307
III. Benefit Levels, Treatment of Collateral Sources,
and Funding........................................................................309
IV. Administration....................................................................310
V. Health Care Benefits...........................................................311
VI. Concluding Observations....................................................312
Part III. Disaster Relief: The Role of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency...................................................................312
I. Introduction.........................................................................312
II. FEMA: Coordination with State and Local Entities...........313
A. The Role of Local Government.....................................313