Fall 2020 Course Syllabus Course: LGLA-2303- Section: 71 Torts and Personal Injury Law

Instructor Information
Instructor	Doneane Beckcom
E-mail	beckcomde@lamarpa.edu
Phone	(409) 984-6548
Office	Location: Student Center - Room: 415 Hours: Tuesday and Wednesday 9:00 - Noon; Thursday 8:00 - Noon; otherwise by appointment
Department	Business and Industrial Technology Chair: Sheila Guillot E-mail: guillsr@lamarpa.edu Phone: (409) 984-6381 If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair.
COVID 19 Information	The Lamar State College Port Arthur (LSCPA) Student Code of Conduct COVID 19 Policy requires students who have been exposed to COVID 19 or diagnosed with COVID 19 to report their condition on the COVID 19 Notification Form (available via a link on the Student Code of Conduct COVID19 webpage). This information will be provided to the Dean of Student Services. In addition, this policy requires all students to wear face coverings in compliance with the criteria included in the policy. For more information please refer to the COVID 19 link on the LSCPA website.
Course Information
Description	Fundamental concepts of tort and personal injury law including intentional torts, negligence, and strict liability with emphasis on the paralegal's role.
Prerequisites	None
Learning Outcomes	Fundamental concepts of tort and personal injury law including intentional torts, negligence, and strict liability with emphasis on the paralegal's role. Learn the correct use of terminology relating to tort and personal injury law; analyze sources relating to tort and personal injury law; draft documents used in tort and personal injury law; and analyze the ethical considerations of the paralegal's role in tort and personal injury law.
Core Objectives	* Communication skills: Students will demonstrate effective written, oral and visual communication. * Critical Thinking Skills: Students will engage in creative and/or innovative thinking, and/or inquiry, analysis, evaluation, synthesis of information, organizing concepts and constructing solutions. * Empirical and Quantitative Skills: Students will demonstrate applications of scientific and mathematical concepts. * Teamwork: Students will demonstrate the ability to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal and consider different points of view. * Social Responsibility: Students will demonstrate intercultural competency and civic knowledge by engaging effectively in local, regional, national and/or global communities. * Personal Responsibility: Students will demonstrate the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making.
Program Student Learning Outcomes	PSLO ALPHA: Reading skills: demonstrates comprehension of content (legal) area reading material. PSLO 1: understand legal terms and the paralegal's role in the legal environment. PSLO 2: apply correct drafting procedures to transactional and court documents. PSLO 3: demonstrate appropriate ethics and professionalism in the legal environment. PSLO 4: exhibit the ability to use computer skills.
Textbooks	Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer. Tort Law for Paralegals, Sixth Edition Neal R. Bevans Wolters Kluwer ISBN: 9781454896227
Lecture Topics Outline	WEEK 1: Chapter 1 An Introduction to Tort Law and Chapter 2 Intentional Torts WEEK 2: Chapter 3 Defenses to Intentional Torts WEEK 3: Chapter 4 Introduction to Negligence WEEK 4: Chapter 5 Duty WEEK 5: Chapter 6 Breach of Duty Under Negligence Law WEEK 6: Chapter 7 Proximate Cause WEEK 7: Chapter 8 Damages WEEK 8: Chapter 9 Defenses to Negligence WEEK 9: Chapter 10 Strict Liability and Products Liability WEEK 10: Chapter 11 Defamation WEEK 11: Chapter 12 Malpractice WEEK 12:Chapter 13 Insurance WEEK 13: Chapter 14 Fraud, Misrepresentation, and Business Torts
Major Assignments Schedule	We will typically cover one to two chapters per week. Since this class is online, you are able to move through the materials at your own pace; however, it is not suggested that you get more than one chapter ahead. There are approximately 13 weeks of instruction in the semester to allow for review for finals. We are covering 14 chapters in the textbook, so this is about one chapter per week. There will be a written discussion board assignment each week from the topic of each chapter/week. Discussion posts are due every Friday at NOON, no exceptions (unless Blackboard goes down). Your responses will be graded for accuracy, writing proficiency, and content. This is a way for us to do writing assignments for a grade while developing good writing and communication skills. You will receive more instruction for each dicussion assignment as each one is posted. Tests will generally cover 4 chapters and occur every 3 - 4 weeks throughout the semester, with a review prior to each exam. You will be given the dates the test will be open and when it will close at least one week prior so that you can plan accordingly. Tests will cover: Test 1: chapters 1 - 4 Test 2: chapters 5 - 8 Test 3: chapters 9 - 12 Final: chapters 13 - 14
Final Exam Date	December 8, 2020 - 8:00 AM   Through  December 10, 2020 - 12:00 PM
Grading Scale	90 - 100=A    80 - 89=B    70 - 79=C     60 - 69=D    Below 59 = F
Determination of Final Grade	Tests: 75% Discussions: 25%
Course Policies
Instructor Policies
Attendance Policy	As this is an online class you MUST log into the course at least once per week to be counted as present for the week. All of the materials you need for the class, aside from the textbook, are available in the Blackboard course.
Academic Honesty	Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSC-PA policies (Section IX, subsection A, in the Faculty Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.
Facility Policies	No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited.
Important Information
ADA Considerations	The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the the Office for Disability Services Coordinator, Room 231, in the Madison Monroe Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.
MyLSCPA	Be sure to check your campus E-mail and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal (My.LamarPA.edu). When you've logged in, click the email icon in the upper right-hand corner to check email, or click on the "My Courses" tab to get to your Course Homepage. Click the link to your course and review the information presented. It is important that you check your email and Course Homepage regularly. You can also access your grades, transcripts, and determine who your academic advisor is by using MyLSCPA.
Other	I am always available via email. If you have an emergency, you can text me at 409-718-8613. If you need to see me in person, please make an appointment during my posted office hours.
HB 2504	This syllabus is part of LSC-PA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.