Liability for Damages Due to Nano-Particles in Swiss Law
This content discusses liability for damages resulting from nano-particles under Swiss law, covering aspects such as liability from manufacturing to disposal, contractual liability, product liability, tort liability, and more. It explains the foundations of liability in Swiss law, challenges related to causation proof, issues of limitation periods, and revisions to the Swiss statute of limitations. The revision of the Swiss statute for compensation claims related to personal injury is also highlighted.
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Haftung fr Schden wegen Nano- partikeln im schweizerischen Recht Fr d ric Krauskopf Institut f r Haftpflicht- und Versicherungsrecht Universit t Bern 13. Dezember 2013, Workshop WTI Bern
Von der Herstellung bis zur Entsorgung... (Haftung nach schweizerischem Recht) Haftung aus Arbeitsvertrag Produktehaftung Delikts -haftung* Entwicklung und Herstellung Garantien Arbeitnehmer Verpacken, Trans- port, Import und Vertrieb Garantien Haftung aus Arbeitsvertrag Verk uferhaftung Inhaber/Konsum Vertrags- partner Vertragshaftung Dritte Delikts -haftung* Haftung aus Arbeitsvertrag Recycling und Entsorgung Arbeitnehmer * = alle ausservertragl. Haftungen (z.B. Werkeigent merhaftung, Haftung f r Umweltsch den). 2
Haftungsgrundlagen des schweizerischen Rechts Vertragshaftung (v.a. Kaufvertrag, Schenkung, Werkvertrag, Miete und Arbeitsvertrag) > Ausservertragliche Haftung (vgl. z.B. Art. 41 ff. OR, Art. 1 ff. PrHG, Art. 59a USG) > Staatshaftung (wird teilweise durch das Privatrecht geregelt: z.B. Art. 58 OR oder Art. 59 Abs. 6 USG) > 3
Probleme (zum Ersten) Kausalit tsnachweis Erfolg (Schaden) Ursache Kausalzusammenhang Der Beweis des Kausalzusammenhangs obliegt des gesch dig- ten Partei, welche Schadenersatz fordert. F r den nat rlichen Kausalzusammenhang gilt nach der Recht- sprechung das Beweismass der berwiegenden Wahrscheinlich- keit. 4
Probleme (zum Zweiten) Verj hrung und Verwirkung Erfolg (Schaden) Ursache Verj hrung Vertragliche und ausservertragliche Schadenersatzforderungen, verj hren oder verwirken in der Regel mit Ablauf von 10 Jahren seit der sch digenden Handlung 5
Revision des Verjhrungsrechts des schweizerischen Rechts Parlamentarische Initiativen 2006 (Verl ngerung der Verj hrungsfristen von Forderung bei Sp tsch den) > H ngiges Verfahren vor dem EGMR (Verletzung von Art. 6 EMRK Recht auf ein faires Verfahren) > Revision des Verj hrungsrechts (Gesetzesentwurf vom 29. November 2013) > 6
Revision des Verjhrungsrechts des schweizerischen Rechts Art. 60 Abs. 1bis und 2 OR Bei T tung eines Menschen oder bei K rperverletzung verj hrt der An- spruch auf Schadenersatz oder Genugtuung mit Ablauf von drei Jahren von dem Tage an gerechnet, an welchem der Gesch digte Kenntnis vom Schaden und von der Person des Ersatzpflichtigen erlangt hat, je- denfalls aber mit Ablauf von dreissig Jahren, vom Tage an gerechnet, an welchem das sch digende Verhalten erfolgte oder aufh rte. Hat die ersatzpflichtige Person durch ihr sch digendes Verhalten eine strafbare Handlung begangen, so verj hrt der Anspruch auf Schaden- ersatz oder Genugtuung unbeschadet der vorstehenden Abs tze fr - hestens mit Eintritt der strafrechtlichen Verfolgungsverj hrung. Tritt diese infolge eines erstinstanzlichen Strafurteils nicht mehr ein, so ver- j hrt der Anspruch fr hestens mit Ablauf von drei Jahren seit Er ffnung des Urteils. 7
Revision des Verjhrungsrechts des schweizerischen Rechts Art. 128 OR Forderungen auf Schadenersatz oder Genugtuung aus vertragswidriger K rperverletzung oder T tung eines Menschen verj hren mit Ablauf von drei Jahren vom Tage an gerechnet, an welchem der Gesch digte Kenntnis vom Schaden erlangt hat, jedenfalls aber mit Ablauf von dreissig Jahren, vom Tage an gerechnet, an welchem das sch digende Verhalten erfolgte oder aufh rte. 8
California Code of Civil Procedure 340.2. (a) In any civil action for injury or illness based upon exposure to asbestos, the time for the commencement of the action shall be the later of the following: (1) Within one year after the date the plaintiff first suffered disability. (2) Within one year after the date the plaintiff either knew, or through the exercise of reasonable diligence should have known, that such disability was caused or contributed to by such exposure. (b) "Disability" as used in subdivision (a) means the loss of time from work as a result of such exposure which precludes the performance of the employee's regular occupation. (c) In an action for the wrongful death of any plaintiff's decedent, based upon exposure to asbestos, the time for commencement of an action shall be the later of the following: (1) Within one year from the date of the death of the plaintiff's decedent. (2) Within one year from the date the plaintiff first knew, or through the exercise of reasonable diligence should have known, that the death was caused or contributed to by such exposure. 9
Liability for Nanomaterials in Swiss Law Fr d ric Krauskopf Institute for Liability and Insurance Law University of Bern December 13, 2013, Workshop WTI Bern
Product Lifecycle and Liabilty Product Liability Tort* Remedies Employers' Liability Developement and Production Guarantee Employee Packaging, Import and Distribution Guarantee Employers' Liability Use and Maintenance Sellers Liability Co- contractor Contractual Liability Third party Tort* Reuse and Disposal Employers' Liability Remedies Employee 11 * = all tort remedies (including property owners liability and environmental liability).
Liability Principles Contractual liability (e.g. sales contract, contract for work and services, lease and employment contract) > Tort remedies (e.g. art. 41 et seqq. Swiss Code of Obligations, art. 59a Swiss Environ- mental Protection Act, art. 1 et seqq. Swiss Product Liability Act) > State liability (e.g. art. 58 Swiss Code of Obligations and art. 59 para. 6 Swiss Environ- mental Protection Act) > 12
Problems Evidence proving causality Effect (Damage) Cause Causality The burden of proof of causality between defendant s conduct and an alleged damage lies with the damaged party who de- mands compensation. Swiss courts award compensation only if the plaintiff proves that his loss or damage was, on the overwhelming balance of probabilities, caused by an act committed by the defendant. 13
Problems Statute of Limitations and Forfeiture Cause Damage 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 ... Statute of Limitations With a few exceptions, all claims for damages or compensation for pain and suffering become barred by statute of limitations or forfeiture at the latest ten years after the date on which the loss or damage was caused. 14
Swiss Statute of Limitations Two Initiatives in Parliament in 2006 (Extension of the statute of limation in case of long-term damages) > Pending case before the European Court of Human Rights (Violation of art. 6 ECHR Right to a fair trial) > Amendment (Draft law, November 29, 2013) > 15
Amendment Swiss Code of Obligations Art. 60 Abs. 1bis and 2 CO In the event of personal injury or death, claims for damages and com- pensation for pain and suffering become time-barred three years from the date on which the injured party became aware of the loss or da- mage and of the identity of the person liable for it but in any event thirty years after the date on which the damaging act occurred or ended. If the damaging act of the liable person is criminal offence for which criminal law envisages a longer period of limitation of prosecution, that longer period also applies to the civil law claim. If a judgment is issued by a court of first instance before the expiry of the limitation period, the prescription of the civil law claim occurs et the earliest three years consequent upon the issue of the judgment. 16
Amendment Swiss Code of Obligations Art. 128 OR Claims for damages or compensation for pain and suffering by reason of personal injury or death which arose from a breach of contract become time-barred one year from the date on which the injured party became aware of the loss or damage but in any event thirty years after the date on which the damaging act occurred or ended. 17
California Code of Civil Procedure 340.2. (a) In any civil action for injury or illness based upon exposure to asbestos, the time for the commencement of the action shall be the later of the following: (1) Within one year after the date the plaintiff first suffered disability. (2) Within one year after the date the plaintiff either knew, or through the exercise of reasonable diligence should have known, that such disability was caused or contributed to by such exposure. (b) "Disability" as used in subdivision (a) means the loss of time from work as a result of such exposure which precludes the performance of the employee's regular occupation. (c) In an action for the wrongful death of any plaintiff's decedent, based upon exposure to asbestos, the time for commencement of an action shall be the later of the following: (1) Within one year from the date of the death of the plaintiff's decedent. (2) Within one year from the date the plaintiff first knew, or through the exercise of reasonable diligence should have known, that the death was caused or contributed to by such exposure. 18
