Monday, December 30, 2019

Mental Illness And Substance Abuse - 901 Words

Researchers have found that a link exists between mental illness and substance abuse, which may have complications on the actual treatment for mental illness. It is very important for the addiction counselor to properly understand both the differences between acute primary psychiatric disorders and any underlying psychiatric symptoms, caused by alcohol and other drugs. Sometimes the addiction needs to be treated first in order for the mental illness to be properly identified and successfully treated. Also addiction counselors need to understand mental health disorder treatments. Clients with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health illness problems may benefit from substance abuse treatments, even those with serious mental health symptoms. This can set the foundation for the addiction counselor to provide a good integrated treatment strategy which can offer a lower relapse rate and achieve long term abstinence. When a counselor is a assessing a client, the client must un derstand how a co-occurring disorder may effect there addiction. Counselors must perform a thorough assessment in order to identify the proper criteria for each diagnosis that is identified. Let’s look at three mistakes that a counselor could make during an assessment in assessing a client. Most clients do not have a good understanding of co-occurring disorders. One reason is that most feel they do not â€Å"fit in† with the rest of society and find it easier to fit in by using alcohol or drugs. TheShow MoreRelatedSubstance Abuse And Mental Illness990 Words   |  4 PagesA Review of Substance Abuse and Mental Illness Substance use is very common among people diagnosed with mental illness. This paper will examine the results of two studies on, at high risk and want to quit: Marijuana use among adults with depression or serious psychological distress by Yuyan Shi (2014). Factors associated with depression and suicide attempts in patients undergoing rehabilitation for substance use by Ortiz-Gomez, Lopez-Canul, and Arankowsky-Sanoval (2014). In conducting their studyRead MoreSubstance Abuse And Mental Illness2671 Words   |  11 Pagesill and substance abuse. Substance abuse is often seen in adolescents and adults, whether they are mentally ill or not. Mental illness and substance abuse is more commonly known as a dual diagnosis. Often times, the treatment for this particular diagnosis is harder to treat than if each condition were treated on its own. Early treatment of dually diagnosed disorders may be a prevention strategy to end future problematic behaviors. The combination of substance abuse and mental illness can be dueRead MoreMental Illness And Substance Abuse1133 Words   |  5 PagesAbstract Families who are dealing with members who have mental illness and substance abuse face many problems. Particularly schizophrenia is characterized by delusional thoughts, seeing and hearing things that others don’t see or hear, loss of emotional expression and problems with cognitive skills and motivation (Elements, 2014). In some cases schizophrenia can cause the onset of substance abuse, in other cases substance abuse can mimic symptoms of schizophrenia. Medications such as antipsychoticsRead MoreHomelessness And Substance Abuse And Mental Illness Essay2659 Words   |  11 Pagesthe closure of asylums in the Sixties and Seventies, and mental illness. Substance abuse often goes hand in hand with homelessness although there is debate as to which comes first. More over a number of individuals not only suffer from homelessness and substance abuse but also mental illness as well. This population struggles to have their basic needs of food and shelter met, so receiving adequate t reatment for substance abuse and mental illness is often difficult. Two main treatment modalities areRead MoreMental Illness And Substance Abuse Problems1563 Words   |  7 Pagespopulation who have mental illness or substance abuse problems. The first section of this literature review explores programs on help people with mental illness or substance abuse, the second section discusses finding health care for them and lastly, the third section reviews effective discharge planning. Effective Treatment Modalities: Programs Most of the research supports the use of programs to reduce recidivism among formerly incarcerated population with substance abuse and mental issues. This studyRead MoreMental Illness And Substance Abuse Problem Essay1937 Words   |  8 PagesLiving with in poverty with a mental illness and a substance abuse problem is not an easy job. The struggles of life as well as a traumatic event can cause a person brain to malfunction. There is approximately 27 % of the United States population that fits the criteria for a mental illness. Mental illness, substance abuse, and poverty go hand and hand. However, health care providers call mental illness and substance use a dual diagnosis or a co-occurring disorder when combined. Dual diagnosis isRead MoreCase Study : Mental Illness Substance Abuse1766 Words   |  8 PagesName: Kristin Bondlow Program Name and Focus Program Name: MISA Treatment Program (MISA: Mental Illness Substance Abuse) Agency Name: Hope Recovery Services Program Focus (The social need the program will address): The Hope Recovery Services agency will involve a program known as MISA Treatment Program that focus on helping individuals with mental illnesses that are currently suffering from substance abuse. The MISA Treatment Program is residential. The agency will treat male and female clientsRead MoreRelationship Between Mental Illness, Substance Abuse Suicide1895 Words   |  8 Pagesbetween Mental Illness, Substance Abuse Suicide Erin Marteny Nearly one of every three of us experiences psychiatric symptoms each year. These range from the relatively minor, such as a short period of anxiety or grief during times of stress, to the severely disabling and painful. Nearly half of us have family member or a close friend with serious mental illness. In mental illness suicide rates are high among individuals with bipolar, depression and schizophrenia. History of Mental Illness MentalRead More Case Study: Impact on Children of Substance Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Mental Illness2706 Words   |  11 PagesStudies have shown that children who grow up in families where there is substance misuse, mental illness or domestic violence are more vulnerable to significant harm (Kendall-Taylor and Mikulak 2009).Children’s vulnerability usually stems from the effects of substance misuse, domestic violence or mental illness on parenting ability. Substance misuse, domestic violence and mental illness can result in parent’s finding it difficult to organize their lives to meet both their personal needs and theirRead MorePreventing Mental Illness And Substance Abuse Found Among Canada s First Nations Communities1326 Words   |  6 PagesIn interpreting the significance of the disproportionately high rates of mental illness and substance abuse found amongst Canada’s First Nations communities, it is critical to recognize that these groups have been lo ng marginalized, and typically live in remote areas bereft of sophisticated and large-scale health service facilities (Gone Trimble, 2012). With this reality in mind, the implications of the statistics and analyses presented above demonstrate that a very significant degree of institutionalized

Saturday, December 21, 2019

My Literacy Narrative My Education Narrative Essay

My Literacy Narrative In first grade, I had started reading, or that is what I recall as my first time. My stuttering problem was always there, but I was a â€Å"great reader† according to my teacher Ms. Brown. She was a kind elderly woman, who wanted to see everybody in her class succeed in reading a whole book. Then second grade came at the snap of a finger. There, I wrote my first paragraph full of â€Å"mumbo jumbo†. Even though I wrote my first paragraph in second grade, I did not learn about the writing process until high school. After I left high school, I learned that we had barely touched on the writing process due to a significant place in my life†¦ College! In my first English class (Eng 180), my professor went over the ideas of rhetoric, the writing process, and discourse community. Since my old professor did not go in depth on these topics, meant that they were still fresh in my head with no place to stay. In English 280, we went into full detail on these topics and unders tood more about the meaning and purpose of them all. I know that the writing process includes brainstorming, researching, proofreading, revising, and etc.; however, I felt like I have been doing it all wrong for years. I have made many improvements to my writing due to English 280, but the skills that I improved in the most were researching and synthesizing. This semester one of the skills I continue to excel in is researching. I have always been a fan of doing tons of research for an assignment beforeShow MoreRelatedHow Literacy Is An Aspect Of Knowledge904 Words   |  4 Pages I believe that literacy is an aspect of knowledge. The more one gains knowledge the more literate they become. Learning entails absorbing knowledge through writing and listening among other activities. In relation to this, writing has been identified as a most efficient and critical tool in learning. It is an important aspect of cognition. The paper will discuss aspects relating to my literacy narrative about writing. I have undergone various levels of education and learning. At each level,Read MoreDouglass s View Of Freedom And Literacy1507 Words   |  7 Pagesread and write as essential to his idea of freedom. Within the narrative we see freedom and literacy are intertwined, connected and Douglass views his literary capability to facilitate his autonomy. Alfred E Prettyman in his assessment of the Narrative comments that ‘the ability to write was essential to his self development, essential to his true freedom.’ (Pretty, 83.) Douglass’s move towards freedom parallels his progression to literacy. Mr. Auld denies his wife from teaching Douglass how to readRead MoreSlavery in Literature Essay1504 Words   |  7 PagesFrederick Douglass was born into the lifelong, evil, bondage of slavery. His autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself, depicts his accomplishments. The narrative, however, is not only the story of his success. It is not simply a tale of his miraculous escape from slavery. Frederick Douglass narrative is, in fact, an account of his tremendous strides through literacy. He exemplifies a literate man who is able to use the psychological tools of thoughtRead MoreReview Of Frederick Douglass s The Great Gatsby 880 Words   |  4 Pagesis a prominent contradiction referring to literacy. At times, Douglass regrets his education as it makes his slavery more difficult to tolerate. Additionally, his education opens them up to more abuse as Harriet Jacob asserts they were living in a culture of silence (Cutter 209). T horough examination of Frederick Douglass’ writing reveals various paradoxes within his testimony regarding his literary education; while Douglass did benefit from his education in some way, in many other ways, it shatteredRead MoreThe Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass941 Words   |  4 PagesIn his autobiography, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass describes in detail the hardships and unjust acts that were imposed upon African American slaves. In the narrative, Douglass communicates that reading and writing are the fundamental keys to obtaining freedom, understanding, and becoming self-aware. Most slaves were illiterate and had limited knowledge of the injustices that they faced. Douglass’ intelligence was significant due to the fact that he realizedRead MoreSelf Reflection Essay984 Words   |  4 Pagesis approaching quickly and you can see â€Å"light at the end of the tunnel.† The final assignment is a self-reflec tion essay on what you learned during the semester in ENG 111. There were three other essay assignments. The first one was called a literacy narrative, the second one, a single source essay, and the third one, a multi-source essay. But how can I write about things I do not understand? I had never taken an online class before, much less, a class that required so much reading and writing. ThisRead MoreThe Good Immigrant Student And The Joy Of Reading And Writing `` By Sherman Alexie1181 Words   |  5 Pagesdifficulties in becoming proficient in academics . Through a variety of rhetoric strategies, the authors articulate their utmost concerns where they present strong evidence on the difficulties experienced by minority communities in their quest for education. Therefore, this paper asserts that the role of reading, writing, and language relates to racial discrimination, cultural difference, and freedom which is of much relevance to today’s scholars. To begin with, Douglass outlines that although slaveryRead MoreSlave Narrative : Literacy And The Trope Of The Talking Book2101 Words   |  9 PagesSlave Narrative: Literacy and the Trope of the Talking Book The literary form of the slave narrative grew out of the first-person, written accounts of individuals who had been enslaved in Britain, the United States and other areas. These narratives documented life under the yoke of slavery, detailing the hardships and abuses these people endured, but they also showed a resilience of spirit and determination as these individuals strove to attain freedom. There are similarities to be found in theseRead MoreThe Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Essay1001 Words   |  5 Pages The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass details the oppression Fredrick Douglass went through before his escape to freedom. In his narratives, Douglass offers the readers with fast hand information of the pain, brutality, and humiliation of the slaves. He points out the cruelty of this institution on both the perpetrator, and the victims. As a slave, Fredrick Douglass witnessed the brutalization of the blacks whose only crime was to be born of the wrong color. He narrates of the pain,Read MoreEssay on Analysis of Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1287 Words   |  6 PagesAn American slave by Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Introduction The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass can be referred to as a memoir and writing about the abolitionist movement of the life of a former slave, Fredrick Douglass. It is a highly regarded as the most famous piece of writing done by a former slave. Fredrick Douglass (1818-1895) was a social reformer, statesman, orator and writer in the United States. Douglass believed in the equality of every

Friday, December 13, 2019

Medicine Free Essays

Medicine is an important part of our lives, a fact true for those who experience serious health problems and those with relatively healthy backgrounds. In modern society, it accompanies us from the cradle to the grave, with all kinds of analyses, tests, vaccinations, preventive measures, and the like. The functioning of this huge and enormously complex and costly apparatus often makes individuals think that they are being handled by a well-oiled machine relying on rigorous scientific procedures. We will write a custom essay sample on Medicine or any similar topic only for you Order Now Yet the medical testing and evaluation procedures at this point still lack rigor, and patients are often trapped into wrong treatment by a doctor’s bad judgement. In general, there is less effectiveness and more mistakes in modern health care than one would expect, at least in developed nations with their high cost of services and health care often turned into a national priority. On my part, I first got a glimpse into the ineffectiveness and obscurity of modern medicine when my grandmother got cancer. It was not diagnosed till it was in the final stage, primarily because my Grandma was not the one to often see a doctor. However, when it became clear that she had it, and most physicians arrived at this conclusion based on how she felt, the greatest challenge proved to be the real diagnosis. Our problem was that nobody knew what type of cancer she had – obviously something in the stomach, but what exactly boggled the doctors. As a result, the 82-year-old woman with cancer in the final stage was forced to go from one medical examination to another, in a long string of visits to the hospital that consumed her last strength. The first tentative guess was that it was related to gynaecology, but the physician who tested her for this type of cancer found no pathology. As it turned out later, he made a gross mistake; however, it had not been discovered until she completed the full round of investigations that could find different varieties of cancer, and another gynaecologist assigned to see her immediately diagnosed her with ovary cancer. In this case, the fuzziness of procedures or blatant incompetence of a single doctor (we never found out what was the real cause) cost the old woman at least two weeks of continuous visits, instead of staying at home with her relatives to share with them the last moments of her long and fruitful life. When she got ill, my aunt and cousin moved to stay with us. Both being doctors, they often discussed their hypotheses about my grandmother’s illness, with their discussions impressing me with the vagueness and tentative approach to issues like the diagnosis. The whole process that had appeared to me as a coherent, authoritative investigation of the patient’s condition now looked as a haphazard analysis of disparate facts, driven more by intuition than by sound informed judgement. My reaction could have been aggravated by the fact that it was my relative who was being examined and I took a strong interest in her destiny, but in any case I began to take medical advice and evaluation with a grain of salt after that. While this story certainly presents the viewpoint of a layperson, tainted by emotional attitude, the same situation arouses concern of many qualified professionals. Dr. George D. Lundberg, the author of Severed Trust: Why American Medicine Hasn’t Been Fixed, also calls for toughening of medical standards in order to improve health care.   Lundberg calls for â€Å"national standards based on scientific knowledge and expertise† (McDonough, 2001). The establishment of such standards would permit improvements in the regulation of the sphere so vital for the well-being of doctors and patients. While Americans pay so much for medical care to the point where many poorer citizens cannot afford it, they do not always get the treatment they need and deserve. Dissatisfaction with the level of care provided is shared by many professionals who have seen flagrant cases of ignorance and sloppiness. Too often patients have to rely on judgements made on the basis of inadequate research and lack of information about the subject. Scheibner (2001) gives an example of the above describing how the exact causes of the Shaken Baby Syndrome appear doubtful; yet â€Å"a great number of parents and other carers are being accused of shaking their small babies and causing grievous bodily harm and death†. It is really frightful to think that people can be accused of causing harm to their children, a stigma that will stick to them for a lifetime while in reality they may be totally innocent. Dysfunctions that happen in children’s bodies are often an enigma to physicians who do not hesitate to put the blame on mothers and fathers, disregarding carers’ pleas that they have nothing to do with what happens to their children. Scheibner (2001) suggests that in fact such harm can be caused by â€Å"those who inject babies with great numbers of vaccines within short periods of time in the first months of life, often ignoring the observed serious reactions to the previous lots of vaccines†. Whatever is the case, it is clear that the causes of human illness for a great part remain obscure, and we are forced into guessing and never knowing what went wrong in this or that particular case. The worst part of this situation is that medical judgements can impact human lives, accusing carers of irresponsible behavior. The only hope is skilful physicians that are plenty around and the progress of science that will make the human body and internal processes less of a mystery. This paper does not attempt to vindicate professionals who selflessly devote their lives to caring for people in need and improving public health. Its only purpose is to attract attention to the still unsatisfactory state of affairs in medicine. Too often patients rely on the gut feeling of the doctor that can lead him or her to be blatantly wrong. In many cases, the process can be improved through thorough research and application of sound medical principles. Toughening medical standards can also be of help. With the general progress of science, it is to be hoped that medical care can also progress, allowing patients to receive more grounded diagnoses and prescriptions and minimising the risk of errors. Works Cited Hirsch, Joy. â€Å"Raising Consciousness.† Journal of Clinical Investigation 115 (2005):1102. McDonough, John E. â€Å"An Editor’s Diagnosis.† The American Prospect 12.7 (2001, April 23). Quality Interagency Coordination (QuIC) Task Force. Peer Review Protections. 7 July 2006 ;http://www.quic.gov/report/mederr6.htm;. Scheibner, Viera. â€Å"Shaken Baby Syndrome Diagnosis On Shaky Ground.† Journal of Australasian College of Nutritional ; Environmental Medicine 20.2 (August 2001): 5-8. Simon, Robert I. â€Å"Commentary: Medical Errors, Sentinel Events, and Malpractice.† Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law 34.1(2006): 99-100. ; How to cite Medicine, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Class Actions and Duplicative Litigation

Question: Discuss about the Class Actions and Duplicative Litigation. Answer: Introduction: Class action is one of such lawsuits in which a group of people, come together and commence claims against another person. Such a group is collectively represented by one of the members, who belong to the group (Greer, 2010). Characteristically, the plaintiff sues the defendants in a class action on behalf of a group, which also consists of people who are not present at the time of litigation. This is one of the key differentiating points in a normal litigation and a class action, as in the former, the parties are required to be physically present while the proceedings are continued (Anderson and Trask, 2012). The laws of each and every nation define the manner in which a class action has to be governed and dealt with. Though, generally, the group in class action belongs to such individuals who have been harmed in same way, by the same defendant (Eisenberg, 2016). So, instead of initialing different proceedings for a similar matter, the class action helps the individuals belonging to such a class action in a single lawsuit and this decides upon the injury claimed. Through the review of the relationship amongst an employer and an employee, a class action could be avoided, provided such a review is done in a periodical manner (McDermott Will Emery, 2007). The engineers can benefit from the class actions for avoiding the issues which have been claimed against them. Even if in a class action, one of the injured parties can be proved as wrong, the foundation of the entire class action can be shook. And so, the closure of such actions can become easier. Also, the damages claimed through such class actions can be reduced. Class actions also help in unifying of the damages to be paid, and hence avoiding duplicative litigations (Sherman, 2017). The issues which have been raised in the previous litigations against the company, or against some other organization, can be used as a guiding light for handling the current action, along with taking precautions so as to avoid future claims (Johnson, 2013). In Matthews v AusNet Electricity Services Pty Ltd Ors [2014] VSC 663, the class action was brought against SPI, i.e., Electricity Services Pty Ltd, previously known as the SPI Electricity Pty Ltd; against UAM, i.e., the maintenance contractor who has the responsibility of periodical inspection of the power line; and against the State parties, i.e., the different entities belonging to State of Victoria, as they had the duty of fighting of fires, managing forest land and policing of emergencies (Australasian Legal Information Institute, 2014). Here, a range of people can come together to initiate class actions against the parties highlighted above. The class action was initially brought up by Leo Keane; though, later on, the plaintiff was substituted by Carol Ann Matthews (Milovanovic, 2011). The class action made by Mathews was on behalf of the individuals summarized below: The individuals who claimed for a personal injury; The individuals who suffered an economic loss, which was not due to the damage caused to their properties or for the injury caused to such individuals; As per Part 3 of the Wrongs Act 1958, the individuals who died due to fire; and The individuals who suffered a loss or damage to their property (State Government of Victoria, 2014). In the quoted case, a settlement to the value of almost A $500 million was achieved; though, the liability was no admitted by any of the parties. This however, does not mean that there was no liability in the given case (Farnsworth, 2016). There is a strong base for attribution of liability for the damages resulting from the Black Saturday bushfires, and these are in the nature of negligence and negligent pure economic loss. Before applying these to the case here, the base of these laws have been highlighted. Negligence is one of the torts in Australia. Under negligence, an individual owes a duty of care towards another and there is a breach of this duty, which results in a harm to the other person (Kelly, Hammer and Hendy, 2014). In order to establish a case of negligence, the duty of care has to be clearly established (Turner, 2013). This has to be followed by a breach of duty of care and this breach has result in an injury or loss. These are the essential elements of negligence, without which a case of negligence cannot be made (Greene, 2013). The justification behind negligence is to affix an obligation of care on people doing some activity, which can pose as a threat resulting in an injury to another person (Trindade, Cane and Lunney, 2007). However, there has to be a direct causation between the injury caused and the negligence. The injury caused also has to be substantial in nature and cannot be remote. Lastly, there has to be a foreseeability of the risk, so that a breach of duty of care can be established (Statsky, 2011). Once negligence can be established, with the help of elements quoted above, the injured party can take action for claiming damages in form of monetary compensation, or for the non-pecuniary damages for the emotional distress (Latimer, 2012). The snail in the bottle case or Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] UKHL 100 is a prime example of negligence and its claims. In the mentioned case, Donoghue was the consumer, who drank the ginger beer from the bottle manufactured by Stevenson, and fell ill, as a result of the dead snail found in the bottle. The manufacturer held that the plaintiff should sue the caf owner, which was located in Paisley, Renfrewshire as he had served the bottle. But the court held that the manufacturer owed the duty of care to its consumers and hence, had to compensate Donoghue for her loss, resulting from negligence (Harvey and Marston, 2009). A similar view was taken in Grant v The Australian Knitting Mills [1935] UKPC 2, where the manufacturer had to compensate Grant for the resulting dermatitis due to negligence of the defendant in manufacturing of the woolen underpants (Australasian Legal Information Institute, 2014). In this case study, the negligence was applied through the statutory legislation of the Wrongs Act 1958. Section 48 of this act covers the basic principles associated with negligence. This section mandates that the risk has to be predictable or foreseeable and cannot be inconsequential. Along with this, a sensible person, in similar situation, would have taken a precaution against the risk of harm. As per section 49 of this act, the burden of taking precautions is ascertained through the fact of avoidance of the risk of harm, in addition to the succeeding acts which could have been undertaken to mitigate such risk of harm (Australasian Legal Information Institute, 2014). For this case, the plaintiff had to establish the negligence of SPI, under section 51(1), was the reason for the occurrence of harm. Moreover, the burden of establishing this was placed over the plaintiff under section 52, based on the balance of probabilities, in addition to the pertinent facts as regards to the issue of causation (Australasian Legal Information Institute, 2014). It had been successfully shown for SPI that there was a presence of real risk of failure related to scheduled inspection. For SPI, the negligence was claimed to be regarding the nuisance in legal sense, the asset management, the oil-operated circuit re-closer, the targeted damper, and the management of electricity. In the view of Osborn J, SPI had to have known regarding the potential risks (State Government of Victoria, 2014). Apart from SPI, there is also a segment of liability which falls over UAM as the maintenance contractor. This related to his failure in taking the care and skill while carrying out the pre-fire scheduled inspection in Februarys 2008. So, for SPI and UAM, the liability arises from negligence (State Government of Victoria, 2014). The previous part highlighted how the legal liability of negligence was fixed over SPI and UAM due to the negligence which resulted in loss for the individuals raising the class action. Though, there are some limitations which are applicable for the recovery of damages. These limitations are limited to the claims raised purely for economic loss due to negligence. Negligent pure economic loss relates to the loss which is to be borne by the individuals, not resulting from a physical injury but from the economic loss (Harp, 2009). The class action initiated against SPI and others by the individuals, who suffered an economic loss, would be restricted through the applicability of this principle. Where the case of negligent pure economic loss is established, the general rule states that a no recovery rule has to be applied (Hunag, 2011). The base of this rule was born through the case of Rylands v Fletcher (1868) LR 3 HL 330, [1868] UKHL 1. In this, the mill was owned by the defendant and he constructed a reservoir on his land. This reservoir was put over a mine which was abandoned. The water of this reservoir was filtered through this very abandoned mine. Later on, this water spread over the mine of plaintiff, which was a working mine. And this resulted in far-reaching damages to the working mine. The court in this held that the claim for recovery of pure economic loss could not be held. Furthermore, the defendant could only be held liable for using the land in a manner in which it was not allowed (Swarb, 2015a). Another case where this principle was established was the case of Weller v Foot and Mouth Disease Research Institute [1966] 1 QB 56. In this case, a virus escaped from the premises of the defendant and infected the cattle of the plaintiff. Due to these reasons, the cattle were rendered unsellable. The plaintiff brought a case against the defendant for the loss of profit, highlighted that the cattle would have been fine, had the virus not leaked. Though, the claims of plaintiff failed, owing to pure economic loss, which is not recoverable (Swarb, 2015b). Hence, on the basis of these two cases, the people in the class action, who have lost their housing or source of income, could be restricted from claiming damages, due to those being pure economic losses. The Black Saturday bushfires case can be taken as a leading example for dealing with the claims which arise due to negligence against any organization. Furthermore, for future claims also, this case provides guidance for limiting the exposure for claims being raised. This can be done by undertaking the care in points where SPI and other failed, so as to avoid the occurrence of fire. For instance, had the UAM undertaken the inspection work properly, the propensity of the fire could have been decreased. The organizations, for avoiding claims of negligence being raised, should pay attention to the precedents. Precedents are the court orders, or the verdict of case which have been decided in the court of law, for some other case (Legal Information Institute, 2017). Precedents, or the prior decisions, are applicable on such courts which are subordinate in hierarchy to the court, which has given the particular derision (Duxbury, 2008). In addition to the precedents, the established case laws are also to be taken care of, while undertaking the actions required for avoiding a claim of negligence being raised. Moreover, once a case of negligence has been used, such cases can be relied upon, for established their side of the story, as the precedent would support their side. To show how a case can be used in a particular case, some of the cases related to the case of Mathews, have been elaborated below. In the case of Johnson Tiles Pty Ltd v Esso Australia Pty Ltd [2003] VSC 27, an explosion took place as a result of the carelessness of the defendant in maintenance of the plant. The plaintiff initiated a case against Esso, the defendant in the Supreme Court of Victoria. Most of the claims raised in this particular case were related to the pure economic loss. While giving their judgment, the court held that this particular case was similar to that of Donoghue v Stevenson, in addition to that of Grant v Australian Knitting Mills. The similarity was drawn for the duty of care which Esso owed to its customers, for avoiding the stopping of the gas, which ultimately led to the property damage. However, the statutory framework could not put a duty on Esso for such economic loss and so, Gillard J held that a duty for economic loss was not owed by Esso (Sweeney, 2004). In the case of Woolcock Street Investments v CDG Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 16, the question raised in front of the High Court was about the accountability of the architect or builder of any commercial building to a person who purchases the building subsequently, for the faults in the construction or designing of a particular building, resulting in economic loss. The decision given by the High Court in this case was quite significant, especially for all the architects and builders, as they denied their liability in such cases (Allens, 2004). Hence, for the future, this case can be used for establishing that the builder or architects did not have the liability for the negligence claims. If there are cases which support a particular stance, there are those which can be used to oppose the same. An example of this is the case of Burnie Port Authority v General Jones Pty Ltd (1994) 179 CLR 520. Here Burnie was the defendant and General Jones was the plaintiff. The property of the plaintiff was kept at the building owned by the defendant. While carrying on the construction work, by the independent contractors hired by Burnie, the building was burnt down in its entirety and the property of Burnie was destroyed. While giving the decision of this case, the High Court decided that the verdict of Rylands v Fletcher had to be discontinued. As a result of this, General Jones could successfully claim the damages from Burnie for the loss caused (Sappideen at al. 2009). This shows that for the case of Matthews, the case of Burnie can be used for claiming the economic loss. And so, the individuals under the class action, who claim for economic loss due to damage of house or loss of source of income, could be held successful in their claims. This affirms the manner in which the precedents and the established case laws can be used for supporting or opposing a particular claim raised in case of negligence. So, the organizations have to use these to their benefit, and be ready to defend themselves against the cases, which can be used against their claims. In the given case study, the settlement amount was the only thing decided and the particular faults were never fixed. However, if the fault had to be fixed, the above highlighted case laws could be used as a weapon or shield, depending upon the side of the party. When such a situation arises, where both parties have strong case against the each other, the judgment of the established case which is most similar to the problem case is adopted. So, for Matthews, the most appropriate case would be that of Johnson Tiles Pty Ltd v Esso Australia Pty Ltd. This is because of the similarity in the facts of the case. And using the verdict of this case, SPI and others could avoid the claims of negligence, in form of pure economic loss. Though, they would still remain liable for the physical loss. Current Standards The Engineers Australia Code of Ethics is the code which is applicable over the engineers in Australia and it is such a code, which is related to their field of knowledge and experience. This code has been broadly divided into four key areas as per which, the engineers are required to exercise leadership, promote sustainability, demonstrate integrity, and practice competently. By adhering to this code in a strict manner, the chances of a claim being raised for negligence can be minimized. The reason behind this stems from the requirements of this code. Under this code, the engineers have to identify the stakeholders, their needs and requirements, and that of the upcoming generations. They have to act based on properly informed conscience, be honest and trustworthy and also have to respect the others dignity while doing their work. They are also required to maintain professional competency by attending regular sessions (Engineers Australia, 2015). By ensuring that their work is done in a proper manner, a slip up or negligent act could be avoided altogether and so, the loss could be easily eradicated. Though, in case this code is not followed to the spirit and letter, a case of negligence could easily be raised. References Allens. (2004) Litigation Dispute Resolution. [Online] Allens. 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