These distinctive characteristics earned the book its reputation for effectiveness:

* highly respected author, whose best-selling Civil Procedure: Examples & Explanations
* uniquely entertaining writing style that captures and holds student interest
* coverage of the standard topics from most Torts courses - intentional torts, negligence, causation, duty, damages, liability of multiple defendants, and the effect of the plaintiff's conduct
* three-chapter section on Taking a Torts Essay Exam supplies guidance, tips, and sample exam questions and answers
The Third Edition introduces important new material:

* two new chapters on Products Liability, one on theories of recovery in strict products liability cases and one on common defenses to strict products liability claims
* completely updated text, with citations reflecting the most current law
Table of Contents

1. Part One: Intentional Torts Fundamental Protections: The Tort of Battery

2. The Action for Assault: A Tort Ahead of Its Time
3. The Far Side of the Coin: Classic Defenses to Intentional Torts Part Two: The Concept of Negligence

4. That Odious Character: The Reasonable Person
5. Borrowing Standards of Care: Violation of Statute as Negligence
6. A Phrase in Latin: Res Ipsa Loquitur
Part Three: The Causation Enigma

7. Reconstructing History: Determining "Cause in Fact"
8. Risks Reconsidered: Complex Issues in Establishing Factual Cause
9. Drawing a Line Somewhere: Proximate Cause
Part Four: The Duty Element

10. The Elusive Element of Duty: Two Principles in Search of an Exception
11. Vicarious Displeasure: Claims for Indirect Infliction of Emotional Distress and Loss of Corsortium
12. Caveat Actor: Strict Liability for Abnormally Dangerous Activities
13. Strict Products Liability: Basic Theories of Recovery
14. More Products Liability: Common "Defenses" to Strict Products Liability Claims
Part Five: Damages for Personal Injury

15. Personal Injury Damages: The Elements of Compensation
16. Astrological Calculations: Valuing Future Damages
17. Compensating Somebody: Wrongful Death and Survival Actions
Part Six: Interlude: Analyzing A Personal Injury Case

18. Some Legal Anatomy: Thinking Like a Tort Lawyer
Part Seven: Liability of Multiple Defendants

19. Joint and Several Liability: The Classic Rules
20. Honor Among Thieves: Basic Principles of Contribution
21. Please Pass the Liability: Respondeat Superior and Nondelegable Duties
Part Eight: The Effect of Plaintiff's Conduct

22. The Once and Future Defense: Assumption of the Risk
23. Casting the Second Stone: Comparative Negligence
24. The Fracturing of the Common Law: Loss Allocation in the Comparative Negligence Era
Part Nine: Taking a Torts Essay Exam

25. The Pot at the End of the Rainbow: Analyzing Torts Issues on an Essay Exam
26. Dandelions in the Bluebook Garden: Six Classic Exam Writing Mistakes
27. Practice Makes Perfect: Exam-ples and Explanations