Alcohol, duty-of-care and common law--where do the consequences of drunken behaviour lie?
Legal issues around the duty of care in common law with regard to addictive legal drugs are evolving. Two recent cases came before the Irish courts dealing with the issue of duty of care of alcohol suppliers to intoxicated individuals. In both cases the intoxication was self-induced and the consequences were lethal. The juxtaposition of personal autonomy and duty of care cannot ignore personal responsibility. Do we need protection from ourselves?
Department of Neuropathology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Francesca
F
Brett
Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, UK Department of Chemical Pathology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland billtormey@gmail.com.
William
W
Tormey
D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000150:complications*; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003415:Crime / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D000066448:Driving Under the Influence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D026684:Personal Autonomy
Duty-of-care; alcohol; common law