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Allsop v Allsop; 25 Apr 1860

References: (1860) 29 LJ (Ex) 315, [1860] EngR 661, (1860) 5 H & N 534, (1860) 157 ER 1292
Links: Commonlii
Coram: Martin B
Ratio:Complaint was made of illness allegedly caused by a slanderous imputation of unchastity to a married woman. The woman heard the slander at third hand. It was held that the woman could not claim special damages for her illness in an action for slander against the originator of the slander.
Held: Wright J took a narrow view of the case as an authority on the type of damages recoverable in an action for slander. He said that to adopt it as a rule of general application that illness resulting from a false statement could never give rise to a claim for damages would be difficult or impossible to defend.
Martin B said: ‘The law is jealous of actions for mere words, and the rules limiting these actions ought to be adhered to here’
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Last Update: 30-Jun-16
Ref: 199938

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