September 24, 2025
A woman severely injured in a motorcycle accident driven by her partner (later husband) claimed damages including the value of care he provided. The House of Lords held that a plaintiff cannot recover damages for gratuitous care services rendered by the tortfeasor himself, as such damages must be held on...
September 24, 2025
The mother of Jacqueline Hill, murdered by Peter Sutcliffe (the 'Yorkshire Ripper'), sued West Yorkshire Police for negligence in failing to apprehend him sooner. The House of Lords held that police owe no duty of care to individual members of the public in investigating crime, and public policy considerations supported...
September 24, 2025
Mr Gray suffered PTSD from the Ladbroke Grove rail crash caused by the defendants' negligence. Under the effects of this condition, he killed a pedestrian and was convicted of manslaughter with diminished responsibility. He claimed damages for loss of earnings during detention. The House of Lords held public policy precluded...
September 24, 2025
Dr Grant contracted severe dermatitis from wearing woollen underpants containing excess free sulphites due to negligent manufacture. The Privy Council held both the retailer liable for breach of implied warranty under the Sale of Goods Act and the manufacturer liable in tort, extending the Donoghue v Stevenson principle to external...
September 24, 2025
Mrs Gorringe was severely injured when her car collided with a bus at a road crest. She sued the highway authority for failing to paint warning signs on the road. The House of Lords held that neither the statutory duty under section 39 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 nor...
September 24, 2025
Children were scalded when a tea urn was dropped in a narrow passage at a tea room managed by the Corporation. The House of Lords held that the manageress could not reasonably have foreseen the accident occurring from permitting the urn to be carried through, and thus no negligence was...
September 22, 2025
A high tide breached a wall protecting the respondents' farmland, causing flooding. The appellant Catchment Board had statutory power but no duty to repair. They attempted repairs inefficiently, taking 164 days instead of 14. The House of Lords held that having only a power, not a duty, the Board was...
September 22, 2025
Seven Borstal trainees escaped from Brownsea Island while officers slept, damaging the respondent's yacht during their escape. The House of Lords held that Borstal officers owed a duty of care to nearby property owners to prevent foreseeable damage by trainees, establishing liability where officers acted outside their instructions. Facts On...
September 22, 2025
Lessees of a flat discovered defective plaster caused by negligent sub-contractors employed by the main building contractor. The House of Lords held that the cost of repairing defective work which had not caused personal injury or damage to other property was pure economic loss and not recoverable in tort against...
September 22, 2025
Mrs Cox, a prison catering manager, was injured when a prisoner negligently dropped a sack of rice on her back whilst working in the kitchen. The Supreme Court held the Ministry of Justice vicariously liable for the prisoner's negligence, extending vicarious liability principles to relationships beyond traditional employment where individuals...
September 16, 2025
Teenage vandals discharged a dry powder fire extinguisher throughout a medieval church, causing £240,000 in cleaning costs. The church sued the extinguisher supplier for failing to warn about the mess such discharge could cause. The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal, finding the supplier not liable. Facts In September 2006,...
September 16, 2025
A child under four years old escaped from a nursery school onto a busy street, causing a lorry driver to swerve and fatally crash while avoiding the child. The House of Lords held the local education authority liable for negligently failing to prevent the child's escape, establishing a duty of...
September 16, 2025
Fire brigades attended fires at various premises. In the Hampshire case, a fire officer negligently turned off sprinklers, causing greater fire damage. The Court of Appeal held fire brigades owe no general duty of care when attending fires, but are liable if their positive acts create or increase danger. Facts...
September 16, 2025
Duwayne Brooks, present during Stephen Lawrence's racist murder, claimed police owed him duties of care as victim and witness. The House of Lords held that police investigating crime owe no common law duty of care to victims or witnesses that would impede their crime-fighting functions, affirming the Hill principle. Facts...
September 16, 2025
Miss Stone was struck by a cricket ball hit out of the Cheetham Cricket Club ground onto a public road. The House of Lords held the club not liable for negligence, as the risk of such an accident was so small that a reasonable person would not have taken precautions...
September 16, 2025
Water from defendants' fire-plug escaped during an exceptionally severe frost and flooded plaintiff's house. The court held the defendants not negligent as they had taken reasonable precautions against ordinary weather conditions and could not have foreseen the unprecedented frost. This case established the classic definition of negligence. Facts The defendants,...
September 16, 2025
A dental house officer suffered a migraine attack during a career advice meeting. She claimed the interviewer abandoned her on the stairs without calling help. The Court of Appeal allowed her appeal against summary judgment, holding that whether a duty of care existed required factual determination applying Caparo principles. Facts...
September 16, 2025
A child taken into care at 10 months alleged the local authority negligently failed in its duty of care during his upbringing, causing psychiatric illness. The House of Lords allowed the appeal against strike out, holding that claims against local authorities for negligent exercise of child care duties are not...
September 15, 2025
Employees in the knitting industry claimed compensation for noise-induced hearing loss from exposure to noise levels between 85-90dB(A) before 1990. The Supreme Court examined employer liability under common law negligence and the Factories Act 1961, determining that compliance with the 1972 Code of Practice provided a defence for average employers...
September 14, 2025
Council tenants' three children died in a house fire when the mother could not open locked windows with removable keys to escape. The claimants sued alleging negligence in window design. The Court of Appeal (majority) dismissed the appeal, holding that installing commonly-used lockable windows was not negligent, applying the Bolam...
September 1, 2025
A newsagent was injured when the saddle of a hired bicycle, supplied as a replacement under a hire agreement, tilted forward causing him to fall. The Court of Appeal held that an exemption clause protecting against contractual liability did not extend to liability for negligence, establishing important principles on construing...
August 28, 2025
Mr Hollier's car was damaged by fire at the defendants' garage due to their negligence. The defendants sought to rely on an exclusion clause disclaiming responsibility for fire damage. The Court of Appeal held the clause was not incorporated by course of dealing and, even if it had been, did...
August 28, 2025
Farmers ordered cabbage seed but received seed that produced unmarketable plants without hearts due to the supplier's negligence. The seed merchants sought to rely on a limitation clause restricting liability to refunding the purchase price. The Court of Appeal held the clause did not protect against negligence and was unreasonable...
August 28, 2025
Caparo purchased shares in Fidelity relying on audited accounts prepared by Touche Ross. The accounts were allegedly negligent, overstating profits. Caparo sued the auditors claiming they owed a duty of care. The House of Lords held auditors owe no duty to individual shareholders for investment decisions or to potential investors,...
August 28, 2025
Established the modern law of negligence and the neighbour principle.
June 24, 2026
National Case Law Archive
June 24, 2026
National Case Law Archive
June 24, 2026
National Case Law Archive