Opinion ID: 1540571
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Delaware Comparative Negligence Statute Standard of Care for Children Unchanged

Text: Similarly, this Court now concludes that the Delaware comparative negligence statute reflects no legislative intent to change Delaware's historic common law determination of child negligence in accordance with the standard of care articulated in Pokoyski. Compare Culver v. Bennett, 588 A.2d at 1098. Consequently, Delaware continues to adhere to its common law standard of care for determining the negligence of a child. See Beggs v. Wilson, Del.Supr., 272 A.2d 713 (1970); Pokoyski v. McDermott, Del.Supr., 167 A.2d 742 (1961). See also Audet v. Convery, Del.Super., 187 A.2d 412 (1963). Therefore, superimposed upon Delaware's statutory framework of comparative negligence is the well-established principle that a child's negligence is to be determined by a standard of care which is based upon an individualized assessment of the child's age, intelligence, maturity, and other factors relevant to the conduct involved. Pokoyski v. McDermott, 167 A.2d at 745.