2022 Georgia Code
Title 51 - Torts
Chapter 1 - General Provisions
§ 51-1-6. Recovery of Damages Upon Breach of Legal Duty

When the law requires a person to perform an act for the benefit of another or to refrain from doing an act which may injure another, although no cause of action is given in express terms, the injured party may recover for the breach of such legal duty if he suffers damage thereby.

History. Orig. Code 1863, § 2896; Code 1868, § 2902; Code 1873, § 2953; Code 1882, § 2953; Civil Code 1895, § 3809; Civil Code 1910, § 4405; Code 1933, § 105-103.

Cross references.

Liability for acts of intoxicated persons, § 51-1-40 .

Law reviews.

For comment on Buttrum v. Buttrum, 98 Ga. App. 226 , 105 S.E.2d 510 (1958), holding that an unemancipated minor child may maintain an action in tort against a parent for personal injuries provided that it is a willful and malicious act so cruel as to constitute forfeiture of parental authority, see 21 Ga. B.J. 559 (1959).

For comment on Cox v. DeJarnette, 104 Ga. App. 664 , 123 S.E.2d 16 (1961), allowing recovery in tort from the liability insurance policy of a charity, see 14 Mercer L. Rev. 463 (1963).

For comment on Williams v. Hospital Auth., 119 Ga. App. 626 , 168 S.E.2d 336 (1969), see 6 Ga. St. B. J. 209 (1969).

For comment on Parker v. Vaughan, 124 Ga. App. 300 , 183 S.E.2d 605 (1971), see 8 Ga. St. B. J. 244 (1971).

For article, “Labor and Employment Law,” see 53 Mercer L. Rev. 349 (2001).

For annual survey on torts, see 64 Mercer L. Rev. 287 (2012).

For note, “Spoliating the Adverse Inference Instruction: The Impact of the 2015 Amendment to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37(E),” see 51 Ga. L. Rev. 917 (2017).

For article, “2018 Georgia Corporation and Business Organization Case Law Developments,” see 24 Ga. St. B.J. 36 (June 2019).