Legal Framework

If you were had suffered harm in from one of these sources, you would have a number of options, similar to the ones you would have today if injured by someone. You might complain to the person or company involved. You might complain to a local representative, such as a member of Parliament, or perhaps the press. The last resort would be legal action. Even more so than now, legal systems 150 years ago did not usually offer cheap or easy solutions. This issue is brought out more in the section on boilers. See "Exploding Boilers".

If you were to bring a legal action in a court, it might be a civil action in tort law, or a criminal prosecution. Until well into the twentieth century it was normal for a private person to bring a criminal prosecution (it had not been until 1879 that the Prosecution of Offences Act created the position of public prosecutor). Nevertheless a criminal prosecution would not, until very recently, benefit the victim. As such, a victim would turn to an action in tort. Tort law is a description of a group of obligations, which are general duties everyone owes in certain circumstances to make sure that they do not harm others. In the technological situations being described here, most countries would have some way for a victim to bring an action arguing that a defendant had been negligent. This is one of the key elements of fault law in Europe, though it does take different forms in different countries.

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the engine room. Fast.