Acts
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The court considered the interaction of the 1934 and 1976 Acts. Citations: [2007] EWHC 1875 (QB) Links: Bailii Statutes: Fatal Accidents Acts 1976, Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1934 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Personal Injury, Damages Updated: 13 July 2022; Ref: scu.261911
There could be no Fatal Accidents Acts damages for a loss of ‘moonlighting’ earnings dependency. Citations: Independent 02-Jan-1996, Times 28-Dec-1995, [1996] RTR 396 Statutes: Fatal Accidents Act 1976 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Cited by: Cited – Hewison v Meridian Shipping Services Pte Ltd, Coflexip Stena Offshore Ltd, Flex Installer Offshore Ltd QBD 30-Nov-2001 The applicant … Continue reading Hunter v Butler: CA 28 Dec 1995
A branch overhanging the road, fell off causing a death. His PR claimed damages, but failed in the County Court. The death of an individual killed by a branch falling from a tree overhanging the highway was not attributable to the negligence of the local authority. The judge found that extensive internal decay was a … Continue reading Micklewright v Surrey County Council: CA 28 Jul 2011
Judges: Lord Justice Buxton Lord Justice Lloyd Lord Justice Richards Citations: [2006] EWCA Civ 287 Links: Bailii Statutes: Fatal Accidents Act 1976 4 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Citing: Cited – Wood v Bentall Simplex Ltd CA 1992 No aspect of the law of damages has been found in practice to be more dependent on the … Continue reading Harland and Wolff Plc Husbands Ltd v Patricia Lillian Mcintyre: CA 28 Mar 2006
Ships collided at sea. The negligent crew were aboard the British ship. A crew member on the Norwegian ship died in the collision, and his family sued here. Held: The family had a right of action against the defendant owners of the British ship. The existence of a cause of action in favour of dependants … Continue reading Davidsson v Hill: CA 1901
The claimant’s daughter had committed suicide after being given home leave on a secure ward by the respondent mental hospital. A claim in negligence had been settled, but the parents now appealed refusal of their claim that the hospital had failed in its article 2 duty to respect her right to life. Held: The decision … Continue reading Rabone and Another v Pennine Care NHS Trust: CA 21 Jun 2010
Appeal re award of interest on claim under Fatal Accidents Act.Hooper LJ confessed: ‘I do not understand why chronological years are deducted from the multiplier’. Judges: Sir Mark Potter P, Hooper, Moses LJJ Citations: [2008] EWCA Civ 413, [2008] 4 All ER 699 Links: Bailii Statutes: Fatal Accidents Act 1976 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Citing: … Continue reading A Train and Sons Ltd v Fletcher: CA 24 Apr 2008
The claimant who was Dutch, was a widow of a fisherman who had died at sea. The question on appeal was ‘in assessing damages for loss of dependency should benefits resulting from the loss be deducted from the damages?’ The claimant’s position under Dutch law was different, with all benefits deducted from any compensation awarded. … Continue reading Roerig v Valiant Trawlers Ltd: CA 28 Jan 2002
The company appealed the calculation of an award of damages to the respondent following the death of her husband, a former employee. The deceased had operated a company in Ireland as a property developer. The company alleged that the earnings were not directly dependent upon his input, but upon capital and otherwise. Held: Such assessments … Continue reading Cape Distribution Ltd v Aine O’Loughlin: CA 8 Feb 2001
A Russian seaman died as the result of a collision in international waters between two foreign registered vessels. His family sought to claim here. Held: The benefit of the Fatal Accidents Acts can, in principle, be claimed by a foreigner. The rule which imposed liability for negligently causing a fatal injury was a universal rule … Continue reading The Esso Malaysia: 1974
Lord Diplock set out the method of assessment of damages for lost years: ‘Here was an obvious injustice which this House remedied by overruling Oliver v. Ashman [1962] 2 Q.B. 210 and holding that a living plaintiff could recover damages for loss of earnings during the lost years; but that in assessing the measure of … Continue reading Gammell v Wilson; Furness v Massey: HL 1980
The court was asked: ‘whether the current approach to assessing the financial losses suffered by the dependant of a person who is wrongfully killed properly reflects the fundamental principle of full compensation, and if it does not whether we should depart from previous decisions of the House of Lords.’ Held: The correct date as at … Continue reading Knauer v Ministry of Justice: SC 24 Feb 2016
The respondent appealed against a finding that the provision which made a loan agreement completely invalid for lack of compliance with the 1974 Act was itself invalid under the Human Rights Act since it deprived the respondent lender of its property rights. It was also argued that it was not possible to make a declaration … Continue reading Wilson v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry; Wilson v First County Trust Ltd (No 2): HL 10 Jul 2003
The claimant’s husband hanged himself in Risley Remand Centre after the police had failed to warn the prison authorities that he was (as the police knew) a suicide risk. He was suffering from clinical depression and had previously attempted suicide more than once. Held: The defendant’s appeal failed. The police, had assumed responsibility for the … Continue reading Kirkham v Anderton, The Chief Constable of the Greater Manchester police: CA 20 Dec 1989
The deceased had suffered a head injury whilst working for the defendant. In addition to severe physical consequences he suffered post-traumatic stress, became more and more depressed, and then committed suicide six years later. The claimant appealed against refusal of an award under the 1976 Act. The judge had decided that it was not part … Continue reading Corr v IBC Vehicles Ltd: CA 31 Mar 2006
The claimant and her family were in a car crash while on holiday in Egypt. The claimant’s husband and his daughter died. The holiday had been booked in England and the car excursion booked in advance from England. The hotel operator was incorporated in Canada, and denied that the English court had jurisdiction. Each party … Continue reading Four Seasons Holdings Incorporated v Brownlie: SC 19 Dec 2017
The deceased was shot by police officers raiding his flat in 1998. The claimants sought damages for his estate. They had succeeded in claiming damages for false imprisonment, but now appealed dismissal of their claim for damages for assault and misfeasance. The judge below had accepted that the officer had acted in self-defence, and entered … Continue reading Ashley and Another v Sussex Police: CA 27 Jul 2006
PI Damages not Reduced for Own Pension The plaintiff policeman was disabled by the negligence of the defendant and received a disablement pension. Part had been contributed by himself and part by his employer. Held: The plaintiff’s appeal succeeded. Damages for personal injury were not to be reduced by deducting the full net value of … Continue reading Parry v Cleaver: HL 5 Feb 1969
The bank challenged measures taken by HM Treasury to restrict access to the United Kingdom’s financial markets by a major Iranian commercial bank, Bank Mellat, on the account of its alleged connection with Iran’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes. The bank sought to have the direction given under section 7 of the 2008 Act. … Continue reading Bank Mellat v Her Majesty’s Treasury (No 2): SC 19 Jun 2013
Responsibility for IRA bombing fixed The claimant sought a finding that the defendant had been responsible for a IRA bombing in 1982 which killed her father and three other soldiers and injured 31 others. He had been acquitted at a criminal trial. Held: The limitation period was extended: ‘As was said in Carroll, the burden … Continue reading Young v Downey: QBD 18 Dec 2019
The claimants sought to bring an action for damages after a family member suspected of dealing drugs, was shot by the police. At the time he was naked. The police officer had been acquitted by a criminal court of murder. The chief constable now appealed a finding that he might nevertheless be liable in a … Continue reading Ashley and Another v Chief Constable of Sussex Police: HL 23 Apr 2008
Same Sex Partner Entitled to tenancy Succession The protected tenant had died. His same-sex partner sought a statutory inheritance of the tenancy. Held: His appeal succeeded. The Fitzpatrick case referred to the position before the 1998 Act: ‘Discriminatory law undermines the rule of law because it is the antithesis of fairness. It brings the law … Continue reading Ghaidan v Godin-Mendoza: HL 21 Jun 2004
The claimant’s husband had been lost from the defendant’s ship at sea. The defendant had contracted to pay compensation unless the loss was by suicide. They so determined. The court was now asked whether that was a permissible conclusion in the circumstances: ‘This case raises two inter-linked questions of principle, one general and one particular. … Continue reading Braganza v BP Shipping Ltd: SC 18 Mar 2015
The deceased had committed suicide on escaping from a mental hospital. The Trust appealed against a refusal to strike out the claim that that they had been negligent in having inadequate security. Held: The Trust’s appeal failed. The fact that she was detained for her own protection rather than to protect others required different standards … Continue reading Savage v South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (MIND intervening): HL 10 Dec 2008
The deceased member of the armed forces had died in a road traffic accident in Germany. The parties didputed whether the principles governing the calculation of damages were those in the 1976 Act and UK law, or under German law. Held: ‘There is no difficulty in identifying the critical issues on this appeal for the … Continue reading Cox v Ergo Versicherung Ag: CA 25 Jun 2012
The deceased army officer serving in Germany died while cycling when hit by a driver insured under German law. His widow, the claimant, being domiciled in England brought her action here, claiming for bereavement and loss of dependency. The Court was asked whether German or UK law applied to the assessment of the damages. Held: … Continue reading Cox v Ergo Versicherung Ag: SC 2 Apr 2014
The House described the approach to the calculation of damages for a dependency under the Fatal Accidents Acts. Held: The multipliers in Fatal Accidents Act cases should be calculated from the date of death. Sections 3 and 4 mark a departure from the ordinary principles of assessment in English law, which can fairly be described … Continue reading Cookson v Knowles: HL 24 May 1978
The plaintiffs sought damages for nervous shock. They had watched on television, as their relatives and friends, 96 in all, died at a football match, for the safety of which the defendants were responsible. The defendant police service had not defended a claim of negligence in their management of safety at the match at Hillsborough … Continue reading Alcock and Others v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police: HL 28 Nov 1991
The plaintiff was the mother of a child who died in an horrific accident, in which her husband and two other children were also injured. She was at home at the time of the accident, but went to the hospital immediately when she had heard what had happened. She saw and comforted her injured husband … Continue reading McLoughlin v O’Brian: HL 6 May 1982
The deceased, a young man of mixed race, had been placed in a cell with another prisoner who was known to be violent, racist, and mentally unstable. The staff knew that the panic button was defective. The deceased was murdered by his cell-mate. His family asserted that the prison authorities had failed to protect his … Continue reading Edwards v The United Kingdom: ECHR 14 Mar 2002
The Office appealed against decisions ordering it to release information about the gateway reviews for the proposed identity card system, claiming a qualified exemption from disclosure under the 2000 Act. Held: The decision was set aside for breaching the rule against impugning an action of Parliament. The minister had made a statement as to the … Continue reading Office of Government Commerce v Information Commissioner and Another: Admn 11 Apr 2008
Lost Earnings claim Continues after Death The claimant, suffering from mesothelioma, had claimed against his employers and won, but his claim for loss of earnings consequent upon his anticipated premature death was not allowed. He began an appeal, but then died. His personal representatives appealed. Held: The House assumed that, because the claimant had brought … Continue reading Pickett v British Rail Engineering: HL 2 Nov 1978
The claimants asserted negligence in the defendant in failing to provide an adequate response to an emergency call, leading, they said to the death of their daughter at the hands of her violent partner. They claimed also under the 1998 Act. The . .
Sir Terence Etherton MR agreed with counsel that ‘the only sure common thread running through the various descriptions of the ambit test, for the purposes of article 14, in the several speeches in M [2006] 2 AC 91 is that the connection or link . .
References: [1983] 1 AC 410, [1982] 2 All ER 298, [1982] UKHL 3, [1982] 2 WLR 982 Links: Bailii Coram: Lord Wilberforce, Lord Bridge, Lord Scarman Ratio: The plaintiff was the mother of a child who died in an horrific accident, in which her husband and two other children were also injured. She was at … Continue reading McLoughlin v OBrian: HL 6 May 1982