PhD student: Mrs F.M. Ruitenbeek-Bart

Promotor: Prof S.D. Lindenbergh

Duration: 1/2/2017

Abstract:

Personal injury incidents (PIIs) can have a lifelong impact on victims, physically, mentally and financially. Tort law strives to provide for financial and increasingly non-financial compensation. Among other needs, victims desire relational restoration (acknowledgement, apologies). It seems obvious that these needs can best be met by tortfeasors themselves. Yet, little is known about the impact the PII has on tortfeasors or whether they are motivated to contribute to relational restoration. This research aims to fill this gap, by empirically examining the experiences of tortfeasors, their perspective on relational restoration and the influence of the dominant presence of the liability insurer within PI settlements.