Brown v KMR Services Ltd: CA 26 Jul 1995

Allied Maples had made a corporate takeover of assets and businesses within the Gillow group of companies, during which it was negligently advised by the defendant solicitors in relation to seeking protection against contingent liabilities of subsidiaries within the vendor’s group. Allied Maples would have been better off, competently advised, if, but only if: (a) it had raised the matter with Gillow and sought improved warranties and (b) Gillow had responded by providing them.
Held: Allied Maples had to prove point (a) on a balance of probabilities, but point (b) should be assessed upon the basis of loss of the chance that Gillow would have responded favourably.
The scale of losses alone did not make damages claim too remote if it was nevertheless foreseeable. Liability for damages for negligent advice depends upon type not scale of loss.
Claims against underwriters are separate for each year, set-off not allowed.

Judges:

Stuart-Smith, Hobhouse and Millett LJJ

Citations:

Times 26-Jul-1995, Gazette 15-Sep-1995, Independent 13-Sep-1995, [1995] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 513, [1995] 4 All ER 598

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

Appeal fromBrown v KMR Services Ltd; Sword-Daniels v Pitel and Others QBD 19-Apr-1994
A Lloyds agent who was asked to find a low risk syndicate has a duty to do so. . .

Cited by:

CitedTransfield Shipping Inc of Panama v Mercator Shipping Inc of Monrovia ComC 1-Dec-2006
The owners made substantial losses after the charterers breached the contract by failing to redliver the ship on time as agreed.
Held: On the facts found the Owners’ primary claim is not too remote. To the knowledge of the Charterers, it was . .
CitedPerry v Raleys Solicitors SC 13-Feb-2019
Veracity of a witness is for the court hearing him
The claimant, a retired miner, had sued his former solicitors, alleging professional negligence in the settlement of his claim for Vibration White Finger damages under the government approved scheme for compensation for such injuries. At trial, the . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Insurance, Damages

Updated: 21 January 2023; Ref: scu.78703

Crosville Wales Ltd v Tracey: CA 4 Aug 1995

There should be no reduction in an award of damages for unfair dismissal simply for participation in strike where the employee had not been not re-instated after the industrial action.

Citations:

Times 04-Aug-1995, Independent 29-Aug-1995

Statutes:

Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 62 74(6)

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Employment, Damages

Updated: 20 December 2022; Ref: scu.79681

Channon (T/A Channon and Co) v Ward: QBD 12 May 2015

The claimant had lost significant sums through his accountancy practice, but now claimed that his insurance broker, the defendant had negligently failed to renew his professional indemnity policies, even though he had supplied policy numbers to the claimant. The defendant disputed whether the losses were part of the claimant’s practice.
Held: a burden lay on Claimant to establish that but for the negligence of the Defendant there would have been a policy in existence that covered the claim in question. Ordinarily such a step will not be difficult. Thereafter the burden is carried by the defendant broker if he seeks to establish that the insurer would have repudiated for some reason, whether that be by reason of breach of a condition or exemption.

Judges:

Cotter QC HHJ

Citations:

[2015] EWHC 4256 (QB)

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedMunro Brice and Co v War Risks Association 1918
Bailhache J discussed the principle that if there is a qualification of the general risk which covers the policy’s whole scope (so that there is no unqualified risk left), the burden is on the insured to prove facts which bring the case within the . .
CitedFraser v B N Furman (Productions) Ltd CA 1967
The employer’s liability policy contained a condition precedent that the insured should take reasonable precautions to prevent accidents and disease. The company sought to rely upon the clause to avoid liability.
Held: ”Reasonable’ does not . .
CitedArmory v Delamirie KBD 1722
A jeweller to whom a chimney sweep had taken a jewel he had found, took the jewel out of the socket and refused to return it. The chimney sweep sued him in trover. On the measure of damages, the court ruled ‘unless the defendant did produce the . .
CitedPhillips and Co and Another v Whatley PC 2-May-2007
(Gilbraltar) The respondent had made a claim against his former lawyers, the appellants, alleging that he had lost out on a very significant personal injury claim for their failure to issue a writ in time. . .
AdoptedEverett v Hogg Robinson 1973
The court was asked whether a re-insurer would have repudiated by reason of a failure to disclose an adverse claims record had the broker not been negligent.
Held: if a broker relies on a causation defence he must satisfy the court that the . .
CitedAllied Maples Group Ltd v Simmons and Simmons CA 12-May-1995
Lost chance claim – not mere speculative claim
Solicitors failed to advise the plaintiffs sufficiently in a property transaction. A warranty against liability for a former tenant’s obligations under leases had not been obtained. The trial judge held that, on a balance of probabilities, there was . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Professional Negligence, Damages

Updated: 20 December 2022; Ref: scu.572351

Harrison and Another v Bloom Camillin: ChD 28 Oct 1999

When assessing the losses suffered by a plaintiff alleging that, through the professional negligence of his solicitors, he had lost the opportunity to pursue a similar action against his accountants, it was right to acknowledge, and allow for the fact that the vast majority of such actions came to be settled rather than going to full trial. The damages should reflect the uncertainties of litigation. The issue of law which would have arisen in the lost action should be treated as a question of fact in this dependent action.

Judges:

Neuberger J

Citations:

Gazette 25-Nov-1999, Times 12-Nov-1999, (2001) PNLR 195

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedKitchen v Royal Air Force Association CA 1958
The plaintiff’s husband, a member of the RAF, was electrocuted and killed in the kitchen of his house. A solicitor failed to issue a writ in time and deprived the plaintiff of the opportunity to pursue court proceedings.
Held: Damages were not . .
CitedAllied Maples Group Ltd v Simmons and Simmons CA 12-May-1995
Lost chance claim – not mere speculative claim
Solicitors failed to advise the plaintiffs sufficiently in a property transaction. A warranty against liability for a former tenant’s obligations under leases had not been obtained. The trial judge held that, on a balance of probabilities, there was . .
CitedMount v Barker Austin (a Firm) CA 18-Feb-1998
The plaintiff sought damages for professional negligence from his former solicitors in respect of their conduct of a claim on his behalf. He succeeded, but was awarded no damages because the judge had found that his action would be bound to fail. He . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages, Professional Negligence

Updated: 09 December 2022; Ref: scu.81257

Crimpfil Ltd v Barclays Bank Plc: CA 16 Feb 1995

The bank appealed against an interim award of a substantial sum for damages for having arbitrarily withdrawn the plaintiff’s loan facilities.
Held: The judge had heard the evidence and considered it, and was entitled to take his own view, even though substantial questions might arise at trial. The rules gave him a wide discretion which had exercised carefully and fairly. Interim damages will usually limited to what was certain to be recovered, but this was not specified to be so in the court rules.

Judges:

Nourse LJ, Waite LJ, Sir Tasker Watkins

Citations:

Times 24-Feb-1995, Ind Summary 27-Mar-1995, [1995] CLC 385

Statutes:

Rules of the Supreme Court O.29

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Damages

Updated: 09 December 2022; Ref: scu.79671

Platt and Others v London Underground Ltd: ChD 13 Mar 2001

A landlord let two properties at the same site to the same tenant, who operated two different businesses, one from each site. He unlawfully restricted access to the one site, and caused damage to that business, but in doing so, passers by were diverted to pass by the other business. Though liable for damages in respect of the loss of business at one site, he was able to claim by way of set off the consequent increase in profit at the other. This was so even though such a set off would not be available if the tenant had taken the second lease in the name of a different company. The one loss led predictably to the other gain.

Citations:

Times 13-Mar-2001, Gazette 26-Apr-2001, [2001] 2 EGLR 121

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

CitedRees and Another v Windsor-Clive and Others CA 1-Jul-2020
Reservation Derogation construed normally
Construction of tenancy agreement – correct approach to reservations made in favour of the landlord. The landlord required access to the tenanted farm to allow survey work anticipating development of his adjoining land. The tenant now appealed . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Landlord and Tenant, Damages

Updated: 09 December 2022; Ref: scu.84764

Redrow Homes Ltd v Bett Brothers Plc: IHCS 2 May 1997

A pursuer in an action for breach of copyright must take either an account of profits or additional damages but not both.

Citations:

Times 02-May-1997

Statutes:

Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 96(2) 97

Jurisdiction:

Scotland

Cited by:

Appeal fromRedrow Homes Ltd and others v Bett Brothers Plc and others HL 22-Jan-1998
Additional damages under section 97 of the 1988 Act, can only be awarded with compensatory damages, not with a claim for damages under section 96. . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Intellectual Property, Damages

Updated: 07 December 2022; Ref: scu.85931

Sion v Hampstead Health Authority: CA 27 May 1994

An amendment to pleadings was allowed after the limitation period had expired in order to add a claim based on the same facts. The claim was brought by the father of a young man injured in a motor cycle accident. For fourteen days the father stayed at his son’s bedside, watching him deteriorate in health and fall into a coma and then die. The father now appealed against an order striking out his claim.
Held: Appeal dismissed, finding that there was no trace in the medical report of ‘shock’ no sudden appreciation by sight or sound of a horrifying event. The report described a process continuing for some time, from first arrival at the hospital to the appreciation of medical negligence after the inquest. In particular the son’s death when it occurred was not surprising but expected. There was no reason in logic why a breach of duty causing an incident involving no violence or suddenness, such as where the wrong medicine is negligently given to a hospital patient, could not lead to a claim for damages for nervous shock, for example where the negligence has fatal results and a visiting close relative, wholly unprepared for what has occurred, finds the body and thereby sustains a sudden and unexpected shock to the nervous system.

Judges:

Peter Gibson LJ, Staughton LJ, Waite LJ

Citations:

Times 10-Jun-1994, [1994] 5 Med LR 170, [1994] EWCA Civ 26

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

CitedNorth Glamorgan NHS Trust v Walters CA 6-Dec-2002
A new mother woke in hospital to see her baby (E) fitting. E suffered a major epileptic seizure leading to coma and irreparable brain damage. E was transferred to a London hospital and the following day the claimant was told by a consultant that E’s . .
CitedTaylor v A Novo (UK) Ltd CA 18-Mar-2013
The deceased had suffered a head injury at work from the defendant’s admitted negligence. She had been making a good recovery but then collapsed and died at home from pulmonary emboli, and thrombosis which were a consequence of the injury. The . .
CitedPaul and Another v The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust QBD 4-Jun-2020
Nervous shock – liability to third parties
The claimants witnessed the death of their father from a heart attack. They said that the defendant’s negligent treatment allowed the attack to take place. Difficult point of law about the circumstances in which a defendant who owes a duty of care . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Limitation, Damages, Personal Injury, Litigation Practice

Updated: 30 November 2022; Ref: scu.89280

Bourhill v Young’s Executor: HL 5 Aug 1942

When considering claims for damages for shock, the court only recognised the action lying where the injury by shock was sustained ‘through the medium of the eye or the ear without direct contact.’ Wright L said: ‘No doubt, it has long ago been stated and often restated that if the wrong is established the wrongdoer must take the victim as he finds him. That, however, is only true . . on the condition that the wrong has been established or admitted. The question of liability is anterior to the question of the measure of the consequences which go with the liability.’
Lord Russell of Killowen: ‘In considering whether a person owes to another a duty a breach of which will render him liable to that other in damages for negligence, it is material to consider what the defendant ought to have contemplated as a reasonable man. This consideration may play a double role. It is relevant in cases of admitted negligence (where the duty and breach are admitted) to the question of remoteness of damage, ie, to the question of compensation not to culpability, but it is also relevant in testing the existence of a duty as the foundation of the alleged negligence, ie, to the question of culpability not to compensation.’

Judges:

Lord MacMillan, Lord Wright, Lord Russell of Killowen

Citations:

[1943] AC 92, [1943] SC (HL) 78, 1943 SLT 105, [1942] UKHL 5

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

Scotland

Citing:

DisapprovedOwens v Liverpool Corporation CA 1938
Four family mourners at a funeral appealed against rejection of their claims for damages for distress caused by witnessing a collision between a negligently driven tramcar and the hearse.The incident had involved no apprehension, or sight, or sound . .

Cited by:

CitedAlcock and Others v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police HL 28-Nov-1991
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 . .
CitedBritish Railways Board v Herrington HL 16-Feb-1972
Land-owner’s Possible Duty to Trespassers
The plaintiff, a child had gone through a fence onto the railway line, and been badly injured. The Board knew of the broken fence, but argued that they owed no duty to a trespasser.
Held: Whilst a land-owner owes no general duty of care to a . .
CitedGiullietta Galli-Atkinson v Seghal CA 21-Mar-2003
The claimant’s daughter was fatally injured in car accident, dying shortly after. The mother came upon the scene, witnessed a police cordon at the scene of the accident and was told of her death. She later saw the injuries at the mortuary and . .
CitedKing v Phillips CA 1952
Denning LJ said: ‘there can be no doubt since Bourhill v. Young that the test of liability for shock is foreseeability of injury by shock.’ A person ‘who suffers shock on being told of an accident to a loved one cannot recover damages from the . .
CitedSalter v UB Frozen Chilled Foods OHCS 25-Jul-2003
The pursuer was involved in an accident at work, where his co-worker died. He suffered only psychiatric injury.
Held: Being directly involved, the pursuer was a primary victim, and accordingly not subject to the limits on claiming for . .
CitedSmith v Littlewoods Organisation Limited (Chief Constable, Fife Constabulary, third party); Maloco v Littlewoods Organisation Ltd HL 1987
The defendant acquired a semi derelict cinema with a view to later development of the site. A fire started by others spread to the pursuer’s adjoining property.
Held: The defendants were not liable in negligence. The intervention of a third . .
CitedAB and others v Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust QBD 26-Mar-2004
Representative claims were made against the respondents, hospitals, pathologists etc with regard to the removal of organs from deceased children without the informed consent of the parents. They claimed under the tort of wrongful interference.
CitedSteel v Glasgow Iron and Steel Co Ltd 1944
The question was whether the actions of the deceased had broken the chain of causation when he intervened in an attempt to save property. ‘This rule of the ‘reasonable and probable consequence’ is a key that opens several locks; for it not only . .
CitedSimmons v British Steel plc HL 29-Apr-2004
The claimant was injured at work as a consequence of the defender’s negligence. His injuries became more severe, and he came to suffer a disabling depression.
Held: the Inner House had been wrong to characterise the Outer House decision as . .
CitedOverseas Tankship (UK) Ltd v Morts Dock and Engineering Co Ltd (The Wagon Mound No 1) PC 18-Jan-1961
Foreseeability Standard to Establish Negligence
Complaint was made that oil had been discharged into Sydney Harbour causing damage. The court differentiated damage by fire from other types of physical damage to property for the purposes of liability in tort, saying ‘We have come back to the plain . .
CitedMcKillen v Barclay Curle and Co Ltd 1967
The Lord Ordinary had awarded the pursuer damages for tuberculosis, on the basis that in the accident he had fractured a rib and this had reactivated his pre-existing tuberculosis.
Held: The pursuer had failed to prove the causal connexion . .
CitedIslington London Borough Council v University College London Hospital NHS Trust CA 16-Jun-2005
The local authority sought repayment from a negligent hospital of the cost of services it had had to provide to an injured patient. They said that the hospital had failed to advise the patient to resume taking warfarin when her operation was . .
CitedCorr v IBC Vehicles Ltd CA 31-Mar-2006
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 . .
CitedJohnston v NEI International Combustion Ltd; Rothwell v Chemical and Insulating Co Ltd; similar HL 17-Oct-2007
The claimant sought damages for the development of neural plaques, having been exposed to asbestos while working for the defendant. The presence of such plaques were symptomless, and would not themselves cause other asbestos related disease, but . .
CitedAlcock and Others v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police QBD 31-Jul-1990
Overcrowding at a football match lead to the deaths of 95 people. The defendant’s employees had charge of safety at the match, and admitted negligence vis-a-vis those who had died and been injured. The plaintiffs sought damages, some of them for . .
CitedAlcock and Others v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police CA 31-May-1991
The defendant policed a football match at which many people died. The plaintiffs, being relatives and friends of the deceased, inter alia suffered nervous shock having seen the events either from within the ground, or from outside or at home on . .
RejectedMcLoughlin v O’Brian HL 6-May-1982
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 . .
CitedLiverpool Women’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust v Ronayne CA 17-Jun-2015
The respondent was an experienced ambulance driver. His wife underwent emergency treatment at the appellant’s hospital. He had claimed as a secondary victim for the distress he suffered witnessing her suffering.
Held: The hospital’s appeal . .
CitedWooldridge v Sumner and Another CA 4-Jun-1962
The plaintiff photographer was injured when attending a show jumping competition at the White City Stadium. A horse caught him as it passed.
Held: The defendant’s appeal against the finding of negligence succeeded: ‘a competitor or player . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Personal Injury, Damages, Negligence

Updated: 25 November 2022; Ref: scu.180104

Arab Bank Plc v John D Wood Commercial Ltd (In Liquidation) and others: CA 25 Nov 1999

Having once recovered damages against a valuer for a negligent survey, there was nothing to stop a lender recovering also under a policy of insurance under a mortgage indemnity guarantee, and so the lender was not required to give credit for monies already received. Such policies were taken out for the benefit of the lender not the borrower, and the insurance company being subrogated to the lender, no double recovery was involved.

Judges:

Mance LJ

Citations:

Times 25-Nov-1999, Gazette 08-Dec-1999, [2000] 1 WLR 857

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

CitedGoldstein v Levy Gee ( A Firm) ChD 1-Jul-2003
There had been a dispute between shareholders, and the defendant was called upon to value the company. He issued a tender for valuers to value the properties. Complaint was made that the tender was negligent in its description of the basis for . .
CitedRoger Michael and others v Douglas Henry Miller and Another ChD 22-Mar-2004
Property had been sold by the respondents as mortgagees in possession. The claimants said the judge had failed to award the value of the property as found to be valued, and had not given a proper value to a crop of lavender.
Held: In . .
CitedLowick Rose Llp v Swynson Ltd and Another SC 11-Apr-2017
Losses arose from the misvaluation of a company before its purchase. The respondent had funded the purchase, relying upon a valuation by the predecessor of the appellant firm of accountants. Further advances had been made when the true situation was . .
CitedSS (Sri Lanka), Regina (on The Application of) v The Secretary of State for The Home Department CA 15-Jun-2018
The court was asked whether, in cases heard by the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) where the credibility of the appellant is in issue, there is a rule that a delay of more than three months between the hearing of oral evidence . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages, Insurance, Banking, Equity

Updated: 24 November 2022; Ref: scu.77841

OMV Petrom Sa v Glencore International Ag: CA 27 Mar 2017

This appeal raises a straightforward but important point concerning the interest that the court may award when a claimant’s CPR Part 36 offer is rejected, but the claimant achieves a greater award at trial.
Sir Geoffrey Vos C said: ‘The parties are obliged to make reasonable efforts to settle, and to respond properly to Part 36 offers made by the other side. The regime of sanctions and rewards has been introduced to incentivise parties to behave reasonably, and if they do not, the court’s powers can be expected to be used to their disadvantage. The parties are obliged to conduct litigation collaboratively and to engage constructively in a settlement process.’

Judges:

Sir Geoffrey Vos Ch, Kitchin, Floyd LJJ

Citations:

[2017] EWCA Civ 195, [2017] WLR(D) 218, [2017] 1 WLR 3465, [2017] 2 Costs LR 287, [2017] CP Rep 24, [2017] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 93

Links:

Bailii, WLRD

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

Appeal fromOMV Petrom Sa v Glencore International Ag ComC 7-Feb-2014
The claimant sought to have struck out as abuse of process parts of the defence, saying that the factual issues raised had already been resolved in arbitration proceedings, but as against a different oarty. The defendant replied that the arbitration . .
Appeal fromOMV Petrom Sa v Glencore International Ag ComC 13-Mar-2015
. .
See AlsoOMV Petrom Sa v Glencore International Ag CA 21-Jul-2016
‘This case concerns the measure of damages for deceit.’ . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages, Costs

Updated: 20 November 2022; Ref: scu.581132

Little and Others v George Little Sebire and Co: QBD 17 Nov 1999

Citations:

Times 17-Nov-1999

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

Appeal fromLittle and others v Messrs George Little Sebire and Co CA 14-Jun-2001
The defendant accountants appealed a finding of professional negligence. They had organised schemes with respect to tax saving for their client companies.
Held: The judge was correct to reject the defendant’s argument that the company could . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages, Litigation Practice, Professional Negligence

Updated: 18 November 2022; Ref: scu.83091

Tortolano v Ogilvie Construction Ltd: SCS 21 Feb 2013

Citations:

[2013] ScotCS CSIH – 10

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

Scotland

Citing:

CitedBarry v Ablerex Construction (Midlands) Ltd CA 30-Mar-2001
It was appropriate to reduce the interest discount rate used to calculate damages awards in personal injury cases for future losses, from 3 per cent to 2 per cent. This reflected the general reduction in such interest rates since the Act came into . .
See AlsoTortolano v Ogilvie Construction Ltd SCS 10-Oct-2012
. .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages

Updated: 14 November 2022; Ref: scu.471191

AIB Group (UK) Plc v Mark Redler and Co Solicitors: CA 8 Feb 2013

The defendant firm of solicitors had acted for the claimants under instructions to secure a first charge over the secured property. They failed to secure the discharge of the existing first charge, causing losses. AIB asserted breach of trust.
Held: The bank’s appeal failed. However, the judge was wrong to treat the breach of trust as limited to that part of the mortgage advance which was paid to the borrowers instead of being used to discharge their liability to Barclays on the second account. the solicitors had no authority to release any part of the funds advanced by the bank unless and until they had a redemption statement from Barclays coupled with an appropriate undertaking which enabled them to be sure that they would be able on completion to register the bank’s charge as a first charge over the property.
Where the breach of trust occurred in the context of a commercial transaction such as the present, Target Holdings established that equitable principles of compensation ‘although not employing precisely the same rules of causation and remoteness as the common law, do have the capacity to recognise what loss the beneficiary has actually suffered from the breach of trust and to base the compensation recoverable on a proper causal connection between the breach and the eventual loss’.
Given the law, and, on the facts, Patten LJ said: ‘If one asks as at the date of trial and with the benefit of hindsight what loss AIB has suffered then the answer is that it has enjoyed less security for its loan than would have been the case had there been no breach of trust. If [the solicitors] had obtained from Barclays a proper redemption statement, coupled with an undertaking to apply the sums specified in the statement in satisfaction of the existing mortgage, then the transaction would have proceeded to complete and AIB could have obtained a first legal mortgage over the Sondhis’ property. But although that did not happen, AIB did obtain a valid mortgage from the Sondhis which they were eventually able to register as a second charge and use to recover part of their loan from the proceeds of the security in priority to the Sondhis’ other creditors. Even had there been no such mortgage they would have been subrogated to Barclays’ first charge insofar as they discharged part of the Sondhis’ indebtedness by the payment of the andpound;1.2m. In my view all of these are matters to be taken into account in considering what loss has ultimately been caused by the solicitors’ breach of trust. In the light of the judge’s findings it is not open to AIB to contend that but for the breach of trust it simply would have asked for its money back.’

Judges:

Arden, Sullivan and Patten LJJ

Citations:

[2013] EWCA Civ 45

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

Appeal fromAIB Group (UK) Plc v Mark Redler and Co (A Firm) ChD 23-Jan-2012
The claimant bank sought damages from the defendant solicitors, saying that they had paid on mortgage advance moneys but failed to deliver as promised and required, a first mortgage over the property purchased. The solicitors had failed to discharge . .
CitedTarget Holdings Ltd v Redferns (A Firm) and Another HL 21-Jul-1995
The defendant solicitors had acted for a purchaser, Crowngate, which had agreed to buy a property from a company called Mirage for andpound;775,000. Crowngate had arranged however that the property would first be passed through a chain of two . .

Cited by:

At CAAIB Group (UK) Plc v Mark Redler and Co Solicitors SC 5-Nov-2014
Bank not to recover more than its losses
The court was asked as to the remedy available to the appellant bank against the respondent, a firm of solicitors, for breach of the solicitors’ custodial duties in respect of money entrusted to them for the purpose of completing a loan which was to . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Negligence, Equity, Damages

Updated: 14 November 2022; Ref: scu.470899

Crewe Services and Investment Corporation v Silk: CA 2 Dec 1997

The landlord brought proceedings against the tenant for failure to keep his tenanted farm in a good state of repair. The judge awarded the cost of the landlord doing the repairs himself, making no discount for the possibility that the tenant might in fact remedy the breaches before the end of the tenancy. The tenant appealed.
Held: Since the tenant might decide to repair himself during the term and there was no evidence before the trial judge of the Court of Appeal that the landlord intended to carry out any works of repair at all, the costs of the repairs might be regarded as being a starting point. The court discounted these for the uncertainties as to whether the work would be done. The diminution in the value of a reversion for a tenant’s failure to repair is not represented by the undiscounted cost of repair where the tenancy’s duration is not uncertain. The court gave guidance on what the court should do in the circumstances where the evidential material as to loss is less than ideal.

Judges:

Lord Woolf MR, Millett and Robert Walker LJJ

Citations:

Times 02-Jan-1998, [1997] EWCA Civ 2872, [1998] 35 EG 81

Statutes:

Agricultural Holdings Act 1986, Landlord and Tenant Act 1927 18(1)

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedBonham-Carter v Hyde Park Hotel 1948
A party claiming damage for breach of a covenant to repair in a lease must prove that damage. . .

Cited by:

CitedLatimer and Another v Carney and others CA 27-Oct-2006
The landlords appealed disissal of their request for relief against their tenants for non-repair of the premises. The judge had held that the landlord had not provided appropriate evidence of the damage and costs of repair which it claimed.
CitedLatimer and Another v Carney and others CA 27-Oct-2006
The landlords appealed disissal of their request for relief against their tenants for non-repair of the premises. The judge had held that the landlord had not provided appropriate evidence of the damage and costs of repair which it claimed.
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Agriculture, Landlord and Tenant, Damages

Updated: 11 November 2022; Ref: scu.79627

Cleese v Clark and Another: QBD 6 Feb 2003

Assessment of damages after offer of amends.
Held: the Court’s award of damages serves as ‘an outward and visible sign of vindication’

Judges:

Eady J

Citations:

[2003] EWHC 137 (QB), [2004] EMLR 3

Links:

Bailii

Statutes:

Defamation Act 1996 3

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

CitedDhir v Saddler QBD 6-Dec-2017
Slander damages reduced for conduct
Claim in slander. The defendant was said, at a church meeting to have accused the client of threatening to slit her throat. The defendant argued that the audience of 80 was not large enough.
Held: ‘the authorities demonstrate that it is the . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Defamation, Damages

Updated: 05 November 2022; Ref: scu.464875

Page v Smith: CA 4 May 1994

The plaintiff was driving his car at 30 miles an hour when the defendant turned right immediately into his path. In the accident both cars suffered damage but the occupants all escaped physical injury. The Plaintiff, however, had suffered for 20 years from chronic fatigue syndrome, which manifested itself from time to time. The judge held that the shock of the accident reactivated this condition which was now in all probability permanent and that it was unlikely that the plaintiff would be able to return to full-time employment, and he awarded damages of pounds 162,153.
Held: Allowing the defendants’ appeal on the ground that psychiatric injury was not a foreseeable consequence of the accident. A claim for damages for pure nervous shock requires that the psychiatric injury should be a foreseeable result.

Citations:

Times 04-May-1994

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

AppliedKing v Phillips CA 1952
Denning LJ said: ‘there can be no doubt since Bourhill v. Young that the test of liability for shock is foreseeability of injury by shock.’ A person ‘who suffers shock on being told of an accident to a loved one cannot recover damages from the . .

Cited by:

Appeal fromPage v Smith HL 12-May-1995
The plaintiff was driving his car when the defendant turned into his path. Both cars suffered considerable damage but the drivers escaped physical injury. The Plaintiff had a pre-existing chronic fatigue syndrome, which manifested itself from time . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages, Personal Injury

Updated: 05 November 2022; Ref: scu.84537

Baldwin v British Coal Corporation: QBD 11 May 1994

The employee had been selected for redundancy. In order for him to qualify for the employer’s supplementary redundancy scheme an arrangement was made whereby he was given short notice. As a result he received an additional pounds 5,000. He now applied for payment of the full notice period.
Held: He had to give credit for the money received under the short notice in order to qualify for a supplementary redundancy payment. The pounds 5,000 was quite separate from the basic redundancy payments the statutory and contractual sums. Had the employer not given short notice, the plaintiff would have received the pounds 3,000 notice, but lost the pounds 5,000 received. Credit had to be given.

Judges:

Garland J

Citations:

Times 11-May-1994

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedWilson v National Coal Board HL 1981
A entire colliery closed down and all employees other than the pursuer were offered and accepted alternative employment, thus disqualifying them from receiving redundancy payments. The pursuer, who had been injured by the accident for which the . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Employment, Damages

Updated: 05 November 2022; Ref: scu.78103

Swift v Secretary of State for Justice: QBD 18 Jul 2012

The Court considered a dependency claim by a person who had cohabited with the deceased for 6 months prior to death. The claim was for a declaration of incompatibility in relation to the 2 year + cohabitee provision in s.1 of the FAA which, the claimant said, discriminated against her and violated her rights under Article 8 and, alternatively, her right not to be discriminated against under Article 14 where rights within the ambit of Article 8 were engaged.
Held: The claim failed.
‘i) the claimaint had to show a direct and immediate link between the restriction on dependency claims to 2 year + cohabitees and the private or family life of the claimant. This may be shown where domestic law was in conflict with an important aspect of personal identity, or where the claim involved a most intimate aspect of private life. Family life was not involved because the claimant’s family life with the deceased was at an end. The circumstances did not show such a link with private life to enable Article 8 to be engaged.
ii) The case did not fall within the ambit of Article 8 either, for broadly the same reasons. Therefore Article 14 was not engaged.
iii) Article 14 would not have availed the claimant anyway because the fact that she fell outside the categories of permitted claimants for dependency under s.1 of the Act did not amount to a status, and Article 14 only prevents discrimination on the grounds of status (whether a status specified in Article 14 or amounting to ‘other status’).
iv) Finally, even if Articles 8 and 14 were engaged then exercising the value judgment described in Wilson referred to at [12] above, it was legitimate for Parliament to confine the liability of tortfeasors in respect of loss caused to individuals who were not the primary victims of the wrongdoing in question.

Judges:

Eadt J

Citations:

[2012] EWHC 2000 (QB)

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

CitedSmith v Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Another QBD 8-Sep-2016
The claimant had cohabited with the deceased: ‘The claimant seeks a declaration in one of two alternative forms:
i) Pursuant to s.3 of the Human Rights Act 1998 . . that s.1A(2)(a) of the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 . . is to be read as including . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages, Human Rights

Updated: 03 November 2022; Ref: scu.462959

Louis v Sadiq: CA 22 Nov 1996

The defendant neighbour had carried out construction works on a joint structure involving its demolition. He had not complied with the requirements of the 1917 Act.
Held: A neighbour doing work on a party wall without complying with the requirements of the Act was creating a nuisance, and he made himself liable for special damages, including some financial losses. A later award under the Act does not relieve a building owner from liability in nuisance or interference with rights of support for works undertaken before the date of the award, and he could not rely upon a defence in the Act, having later complied with it, to excuse his earlier wrong.

Judges:

Evans LJ

Citations:

Gazette 13-Dec-1996, Times 22-Nov-1996, [1997] 1 EGLR 136

Statutes:

London Building Acts (Amendment) Act 1939

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

CitedRodrigues v Sokal TCC 30-Jul-2008
The parties owned either half of a semi-detached residence. The defendant had undertaken substantial redevelopment works, and the claimant sought damages under the 1996 Act for his failures to follow that Act. The issues had been taken to . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Land, Damages, Construction

Updated: 03 November 2022; Ref: scu.83220

Bence Graphics International Ltd v Fasson UK Ltd: CA 24 Oct 1996

Bench sold vinyl film to Fasson for decals to identify sea-borne bulk containers. A term required the film to be legible condition for at least five years. Fasson sold them to container manufacturers who supplied the containers marked with the decals to shipping lines. Some became illegible. Fasson brought an action for breach of warranty. The trial judge held that the prima facie measure of damages under section 53(3) had not been displaced and awarded pounds 564,328 damages based on the difference between the value of the goods (measured by the purchase price) at the time of delivery and the value they would have had if the warranty been fulfilled.
Held: (Majority) The Bence’s appeal succeeded. The loss for a latent defect discovered after a sale on, was the Plaintiff’s actual loss. Damages for breach of warranty on sale of goods are to be assessed by the court. The parties had contemplated when the warranty was given (a) that the goods sold would only be used in making a product which would be sold on to customers requiring five year durability; (b) that any defect in the film would not have been detected on delivery or in the process of manufacture; and (c) that, if there was a defect, the end users would claim damages against the container owners, who would claim against the manufacturers, who would claim against the plaintiffs. The damages should be based on the buyer’s liability to the subsequent or ultimate users. The judgment was reduced to pounds 22,000, being the cost of unused and defective material returned to the plaintiffs. The defendants had compensated the plaintiffs for the only claim that had been made on them; and there were no others in prospect.
Otton LJ distinguished Slater because there the sub-sale was of the same goods and the seller did not know of the contemplated sub-sale; In this case the goods were substantially converted or processed by the buyer and the sellers were aware of the precise use to which the film was to be put when the contract was made. He rejected the submission that a conclusion that required the sellers to indemnify the buyers in respect of their liability to sub-purchasers was too ‘nebulous’. Such difficulties of calculation as might arise were irrelevant to the issue that the judge had to decide.
Auld LJ: ‘As to section 53 (3) there is, in my view, a danger of giving it a primacy in the code of section 53 that it does not deserve. The starting point in a claim for breach of warranty of quality is not to determine whether one or other party has ‘displaced’ the prima facie test in that subsection. The starting point is the Hadley v Baxendale principle reproduced in section 53 (2) applicable to a breach of any warranty, namely an estimation on the evidence of ‘the . . loss directly and naturally resulting in the ordinary course of events from the breach of warranty’. The evidence may be such that the prima facie test in section 53 (3) never comes in to play at all.
The Hadley v Baxendale principle is recovery of true loss and no more (or less), namely to put the complaining party, so far as a money can do it, in the position he would have been if the contract had been performed. Where there is evidence showing the nature of the loss that the parties must be taken to have contemplated in the event of breach, it is not to be set aside by applying the prima facie test in section 53 (3) simply because calculation of such contemplated loss would be difficult. Equally, it should not be set aside in that way so as to produce a result where the claimant will clearly recover more than his true loss.
. . Put shortly, and drawing on the analysis of Scarman L.J. in H Parsons (Livestock) Ltd v Uttley Ingham and Co. Ltd (1978) Q.B. 791,807, the sort of question the judge should have asked is: ‘What would the parties have thought about the probable loss to the buyer in the event of a latent defect in film at the time of delivery later causing trouble?’

Judges:

Otton LJ, Auld LJ

Citations:

Gazette 30-Oct-1996, Times 24-Oct-1996, [1996] EWCA Civ 748, [1998] QB 87, [1997] 3 WLR 205, [1997] CLC 373

Links:

Bailii

Statutes:

Sale of Goods Act 1979 53(3)

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

DistinguishedSlater v Hoyle and Smith Ltd 1920
Cotton cloth was sold. The buyer was to use it to fulfil his own contract with a sub-buyer. The cloth was not of the contractual quality but the buyer was able to perform the sub-contract by delivering the same cloth. The sub-buyers paid the full . .

Cited by:

CitedTransfield Shipping Inc of Panama v Mercator Shipping Inc of Monrovia ComC 1-Dec-2006
The owners made substantial losses after the charterers breached the contract by failing to redliver the ship on time as agreed.
Held: On the facts found the Owners’ primary claim is not too remote. To the knowledge of the Charterers, it was . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Contract, Damages

Updated: 01 November 2022; Ref: scu.78330

Frost and Others v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire and Others: CA 31 Oct 1996

The distinction normally made between primary and secondary victims claiming damages for shock in witnessing a terrible event does not apply to employees who were obliged by their contract to be present.

Citations:

Times 06-Nov-1996, [1996] EWHC CA 173

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

Appeal fromFrost and Others v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire QBD 3-Jul-1995
Trained rescuers have to be assumed to have a higher distress threshold because of their training and experience, and if a claim for psychiatric injury is to be made out, they must show some exceptional and particular situation to justify the claim. . .

Cited by:

Appeal fromWhite, Frost and others v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire and others HL 3-Dec-1998
No damages for Psychiatric Harm Alone
The House considered claims by police officers who had suffered psychiatric injury after tending the victims of the Hillsborough tragedy.
Held: The general rules restricting the recovery of damages for pure psychiatric harm applied to the . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Personal Injury, Damages

Updated: 01 November 2022; Ref: scu.80695

St Albans City and District Council v International Computers Ltd: CA 14 Aug 1996

The council purchased software from the defendants to calculate council taxes. Mistakes in the software undercalculated the amounts required to be recovered causing the council substantial losses. The company sought to rely upon a clause in the contract limiting the extent of their liability.
Held: The clause was unreasonable in the light of the very substantial nature of the defendant’s business, the availabiliity to them of insurance in sums far greater than the limit of liability, and inequality of bargaining power. However, the damages payable for revenue lost because of faulty software were reduced to allow for the recovery of the losses in subsequent tax years.
Nourse LJ: ‘Parties who agree respectively to supply and acquire a system recognizing that it is still in the course of development cannot be taken, merely by virtue of that recognition, to intend that the supplier shall be at liberty to supply software which cannot perform the function expected of it at the stage of development at which it is supplied’.

Judges:

Sir Ian Glidewell, Nourse LJ

Citations:

Times 14-Aug-1996, [1996] 4 All ER 481, [1996] EWCA Civ 1296

Statutes:

Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

Appeal fromSt Albans City and District Council v International Computers Ltd QBD 11-Nov-1994
A liability limitation in a computer contract was an unfair contract term since it was a standard term, and it restricted liability when there had been no attempt to justify the amount chosen for the limit by reference, for example, to a . .

Cited by:

CitedSam Business Systems Ltd v Hedley and Company TCC 19-Dec-2002
. .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages, Contract

Updated: 31 October 2022; Ref: scu.89464

Kiam v Neill and Another (No 2): CA 26 Jul 1996

An allegation of insolvency was made against a well known businessman. An apology in agreed terms was published after 3 weeks.
Held: A jury award of 45,000 in damages was not excessive for a libel despite an apology having been given. The plaintiff’s prominence was a relevant circumstance.

Citations:

Times 26-Jul-1996, [1996] EMLR 493

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

See AlsoKiam v Neil and Another CA 14-Dec-1994
A defendant may not tell the jury of pre-trial offers of settlement from the Plaintiff on damages. . .

Cited by:

CitedKiam v MGN Ltd CA 28-Jan-2002
Where a court regards a jury award in a defamation case as excessive, a ‘proper’ award can be substituted for it is not whatever sum court thinks appropriate, wholly uninfluenced by jury’s view, but the highest award which a jury could reasonably . .
See AlsoKiam v Neil and Another CA 14-Dec-1994
A defendant may not tell the jury of pre-trial offers of settlement from the Plaintiff on damages. . .
CitedNail and Another v News Group Newspapers Ltd and others CA 20-Dec-2004
The claimant appealed the award of damages in his claim for defamation. The defendants had variously issued apologies. The claimant had not complained initially as to one publication.
Held: In defamation proceedings the damage to feelings is . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Defamation, Damages

Updated: 31 October 2022; Ref: scu.82773

Dureau v Evans: CA 1996

The court considered the difficulty of quantifying damages in cases involving multiple injuries.
Kennedy LJ said: ‘Help is to be obtained from any source where it happens to be available. To a limited extent, in a case where there are multiple injuries, the figures in the Judicial Studies Board table can help but I accept Mr Murphy’s criticism of them that, where one has a multiplicity of injuries, it is necessary to take an overall view. The off setting process may mean it is not possible to derive a great deal of benefit from that particular source. One then looks to see if anything can be gained from looking at a comparable award, if one is to be found, in another case. Even that may not prove to be a particularly fruitful source of enquiry. It may be necessary, if it be possible, to select what may be the most serious head of injury to see if a comparable award can be found in relation to that and, if so, build on it to allow for the other heads of injury which have been sustained by the plaintiff in the instant case.’

Judges:

Kennedy LJ

Citations:

[1996] PIQR Q18

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

CitedClarke v South Yorkshire Transport Ltd CA 19-Mar-1998
. .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Personal Injury, Damages

Updated: 27 October 2022; Ref: scu.235352

Longdon v British Coal Corporation: CA 9 Mar 1995

A pension paid on incapacity as an alternative to retirement was not deductible from damages payable later for negligence. There was no double recovery.

Citations:

Times 14-Apr-1995, Gazette 12-Apr-1995

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Employment, Personal Injury, Damages, Benefits

Updated: 27 October 2022; Ref: scu.83185

Boyo v London Borough of Lambeth: CA 8 Mar 1994

An employee dismissed by his employer’s act of repudiation of the contract, is entitled to receive money in lieu of notice as well as compensation for a reasonable period for carrying out the appropriate disciplinary procedure.
Ralph Gibson LJ said: ‘Further, if there is a requirement of law for acceptance by the servant of the repudiation by the master, I am unable to see why it is not a requirement for a real acceptance, that is to say a conscious acceptance intending to bring the contract to an end or the doing of some act which is inconsistent with the continuation of the contract. If that is right, I do not understand how the courts would apply the notion of ‘easily inferring that the innocent party has accepted . . the repudiation’.’ and
‘If acceptance by the plaintiff of the repudiation was necessary was there acceptance? In my judgement there was not at any time before the hearing, unless ‘acceptance’ for this purpose can be taken to mean no more than the internal but unwilling acknowledgement that the plaintiff will not escape from being treated as if he had accepted. As stated above, I do not accept that it can properly be taken to mean no more than that. I can see no relevance in the fact that the plaintiff had deliberately formulated his case in a particular way for tactical reasons. If the law permits him to do so why should he not?’

Judges:

Staughton LJ, Ralph Gibson LJ, Sir Francis Purchas

Citations:

[1994] EWCA Civ 28, [1995] IRLR 50, [1994] ICR 727

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

AppliedGunton v Richmond-upon-Thames London Borough Council CA 1980
The plaintiff college registrar had been the subject of disciplinary proceedings, but the defendant had not followed the contractual procedure. The judge had ordered an inquiry as to damages on the basis that the Plaintiff was entitled to remain in . .

Cited by:

CitedSociete Generale, London Branch v Geys SC 19-Dec-2012
The claimant’s employment by the bank had been terminated. The parties disputed the sums due, and the date of the termination of the contract. The court was asked ‘Does a repudiation of a contract of employment by the employer which takes the form . .
See AlsoBoyo v London Borough of Lambeth EAT 4-Dec-1995
. .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Employment, Damages

Updated: 27 October 2022; Ref: scu.263223

Stringman v McCardle: CA 19 Nov 1993

The Judge is not to be concerned with the intended application or use of interim damages requested to be paid to a Plaintiff.

Citations:

Ind Summary 06-Dec-1993, Times 19-Nov-1993, [1994] 1 WLR 1653

Statutes:

Rules of the Supreme Court rule 11

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

CitedSpillman v Bradfield Riding Centre QBD 6-Feb-2007
The claimant child suffered very severe brain injury when kicked in the head by a horse at the defendant’s riding stables. The claimant appealed an interim award of damages. It had not been possible to determine her future earnings. . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Litigation Practice, Damages

Updated: 26 October 2022; Ref: scu.89594

Mason v Nwokorie: CA 19 Oct 1993

General and aggravated damages at common law are to be set off, against damages awarded under Housing Act 1988 s2. The general damages were attributable to the loss of the right to occupy the premises, and therefore the common law damages award should be set off against the statutory award for the same loss.

Judges:

Dillon LJ

Citations:

Gazette 17-Nov-1993, Times 19-Oct-1993, (1994) 26 HLR 60

Statutes:

Housing Act 1988 27

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

CitedKaur v Gill CA 15-Jun-1995
A landlord could be liable for for orders for damages both for a common law breach of quiet enjoyment under the lease and for the loss of occupation under the 1988 Act. The case of Mason was distinguished because on the basis that the common law . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Landlord and Tenant, Damages

Updated: 26 October 2022; Ref: scu.83464

Hunt v Severs: CA 13 May 1993

The plaintiff was injured by the negligence of the defendant. The defendant provided gratuitous nursing care and other assistance to the plaintiff. They married each other.
Held: Where the Plaintiff was voluntarily cared for by the Tortfeasor, she may still eligible for damages for the amount that care would have cost her, had she had to buy it: ‘Where services are voluntarily rendered by a tortfeasor in caring for the plaintiff from motives of affection or duty they should in our opinion be regarded as in the same category as services rendered voluntarily by a third party, or charitable gifts, or insurance payments. They are adventitious benefits, which for policy reasons are not to be regarded as diminishing the plaintiff’s loss. On the facts of the present case the judge’s decision was not in our view contrary to principle or authority and it was fortified by what we regard as compelling considerations of public policy. We consider that he reached the right conclusion and would accordingly dismiss the defendant’s appeal.’

Judges:

Sir Thomas Bingham MR

Citations:

Independent 13-May-1993, Times 13-May-1993

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

Appealed toHunt v Severs HL 7-Sep-1994
The tortfeasor, a member of the claimant’s family provided her with voluntary nursing care after the injury. The equivalent cost of that care, was recoverable, but would be held on trust for the carer. The underlying rationale of English Law is to . .

Cited by:

CitedATH and another (Executors of the Estate of M, decd) v MS CA 11-Jun-2002
The claimants were the children of the deceased, seeking damages following the death of their mother. At the time of the death they were not living with their father but moved to live with him after the death. They claimed damages for the services . .
Appeal fromHunt v Severs HL 7-Sep-1994
The tortfeasor, a member of the claimant’s family provided her with voluntary nursing care after the injury. The equivalent cost of that care, was recoverable, but would be held on trust for the carer. The underlying rationale of English Law is to . .
CitedPirelli General Plc and others v Gaca CA 26-Mar-2004
The claimant was awarded damages from his employers, who claimed that the benefits received by the claimant from an insurance policy to which the defendants had contributed should be set off against the claim.
Held: McCamley was no longer good . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages, Personal Injury

Updated: 26 October 2022; Ref: scu.81536

B Hargreaves Ltd v Action 2000 Ltd: CA 15 Feb 1993

A builder was sued for damages, and sought to set off against the damages claimed an as yet unquantified cross claim which was dependent upon a valuation to be carried out, that claim was insufficiently certain or ascertained to permit it to be used by way of set off.

Citations:

Ind Summary 15-Feb-1993

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Damages, Construction

Updated: 26 October 2022; Ref: scu.78040

AIB Group (UK) Plc v Mark Redler and Co (A Firm): ChD 23 Jan 2012

The claimant bank sought damages from the defendant solicitors, saying that they had paid on mortgage advance moneys but failed to deliver as promised and required, a first mortgage over the property purchased. The solicitors had failed to discharge an existing first charge (to Barclays). The parties now disputed whether the sum due to the bank was the entire sum loaned, or only the net sum lost after the sale.
Held: The solicitors had acted in good faith, but in breach of trust.
Prima facie the bank was entitled to reconstitution of the trust fund by repayment of the amount wrongly paid away. As to the bank’s alternative claim for equitable compensation or damages, he said that where the breach consisted of failure to discharge a prior mortgage, with the result that the bank’s interest had been postponed to the Barclays charge, the bank was entitled to equitable compensation for the additional amounts due to Barclays for which Barclays had security in priority to the bank. The solicitors were therefore liable to the bank for the additional amount ultimately obtained by Barclays by reason of its prior security.
The court analysed the breach of trust: ‘ In the present case, . . . what the defendant’s instructions authorised them to do with the funds paid to them was to pay to Barclays (or to its account) such sum as was required to procure a release of its charge, and pay the balance to the borrowers or to their order. Had they complied with their instructions they would have paid (taking all the figures in round terms) andpound;1.5m to Barclays and andpound;1.8m to the borrowers. In the event they paid andpound;1.2m to Barclays and andpound;2.1m to the borrowers. In my judgment, in so doing they committed a breach of trust in so far as payment was made contrary to the authority they had been given.
It does not however in my judgment necessarily follow that the whole of the payment of andpound;3.3m was made in breach of trust. The difference between what the defendant did and what it ought to have done if it had complied with its instructions was the andpound;300,000 that should have been paid to Barclays but was instead paid to the borrowers. That in my judgment was the extent of the breach of trust committed. It was not a breach of trust to pay andpound;1.2m to Barclays; that payment was made as partial performance of the authority and obligation to discharge Barclays’ secured debt. It was not a breach of trust to pay andpound;1.8m to the borrowers, as that was the sum to which they were entitled. The breach consisted of the failure to retain an additional andpound;300,000 and apply that to the discharge of the Barclays debt.’

Judges:

David Cooke HHJ

Citations:

[2012] EWHC 35 (Ch)

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

CitedCook v The Mortgage Business Plc CA 24-Jan-2012
The land owners sought relief from possession orders made under mortgages given in equity release schemes: ‘If the purchaser raises all or part of the purchase price on mortgage, and then defaults, the issue arises whether the mortgagee’s right to . .
Appeal fromAIB Group (UK) Plc v Mark Redler and Co Solicitors CA 8-Feb-2013
The defendant firm of solicitors had acted for the claimants under instructions to secure a first charge over the secured property. They failed to secure the discharge of the existing first charge, causing losses. AIB asserted breach of trust.
At ChDAIB Group (UK) Plc v Mark Redler and Co Solicitors SC 5-Nov-2014
Bank not to recover more than its losses
The court was asked as to the remedy available to the appellant bank against the respondent, a firm of solicitors, for breach of the solicitors’ custodial duties in respect of money entrusted to them for the purpose of completing a loan which was to . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Professional Negligence, Torts – Other, Equity, Damages

Updated: 04 October 2022; Ref: scu.450453

Masri v Consolidated Contractors International UK Ltd and Another: ComC 14 Mar 2007

Judgment on quantum.

Judges:

Gloster J DBE

Citations:

[2007] EWHC 468 (Comm)

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

See AlsoMasri v Consolidated Contractors International (UK) Ltd ComC 17-May-2005
. .
See AlsoMasri v Consolidated Contractors International (UK) Ltd CA 24-Oct-2005
The defendants who were resident in Greece appealed a decision that the English court had jurisdiction over them, by virtue of a close connection of the matter with earlier proceedings heard here.
Held: The fact that the defendants were all . .
See AlsoMasri v Consolidated Contractors International UK Ltd and Another ComC 28-Jul-2006
. .

Cited by:

See AlsoMasri v Consolidated Contractors International (UK) Ltd and others ComC 25-May-2007
Application for an order to prevent some defendants pursuing action in other jurisdictions. . .
See AlsoMasri v Consolidated Contractors International Company Sal and Another CA 11-Jul-2007
. .
See AlsoMasri v Consolidated Contractors International Company Sal and Another ComC 20-Dec-2007
. .
See AlsoMasri v Consolidated Contractors International Company Sal and Another CA 4-Apr-2008
The court was asked whether the Commercial Court had international jurisdiction to make an order for the appointment of a receiver by way of equitable execution, and a freezing order, in relation to the judgment debtors’ interest in the concession . .
See AlsoMasri v Consolidated Contractors International Company Sal and Another ComC 23-May-2008
Application for interpretation of a receivership order. . .
See AlsoMasri v Consolidated Contractors International Company Sal and Another (No 3) CA 6-Jun-2008
The court was asked whether the English court has jurisdiction following judgment to grant an anti-suit injunction against foreign judgment debtors (one of whom has a domicile in a Brussels I Regulation State) restraining them from pursuing . .
See AlsoMasri v Consolidated Contractors International (UK) Ltd and Another ComC 17-Jun-2008
Application for further order of payment of costs of action on account. . .
See AlsoMasri v Consolidated Contractors International Company Sal and others CA 28-Jul-2008
The judgment creditor appealed an order refusing to oblige the defendant company to attend court and provide information about its means. . .
See AlsoMasri v Consolidated Contractors International Company Sal and Another ComC 21-Oct-2008
The court heard matters relating to the recovery by the claimant of $63,000,000. . .
See AlsoMasri v Consolidated Contractors International Co Sal and others CA 13-Nov-2008
The creditors sought leave to appeal against orders made in the course of proceedings to recover a very substantial debt from a foreign resident company. . .
See AlsoMasri v Consolidated Contractors (Oil and Gas) Company Sal CA 6-Feb-2009
Appeal from order with regard to management of receivership. . .
See AlsoMasri v Consolidated Contractors International Co Sal and Others HL 30-Jul-2009
The claimant sought to enforce a judgment debt against a foreign resident company, and for this purpose to examine or have examined a director who lived abroad. The defendant said that the rules gave no such power and they did, the power was outside . .
See AlsoMasri v Consolidated Contractors International Company Sal and Others ComC 6-Oct-2010
The third respondent sought to strike out an application for his committal for failure to comply with orders made in support of proceedings to enforce a substantial judgment. . .
See AlsoMasri v Consolidated Contractors International Company Sal ComC 21-Oct-2010
The court held a case management conference with regard to an intended application for committal for contempt of one of the defendants. . .
See AlsoConsolidated Contractors International Company Sal and Another v Masri CA 21-Jan-2011
. .
See AlsoConsolidated Contractors International Company Sal and Another v Masri CA 3-Feb-2011
. .
See AlsoMasri and Another v Consolidated Contractors International Co Sal and Others ComC 3-Mar-2011
On notice hearing with regard to without notice receivership order. . .
See AlsoMasri v Consolidated Contractors International Company Sal and Others ComC 5-May-2011
The applicant, and judgment creditor sought orders for committal for contempt by the defendant companies and officers after failing to comply with court orders. . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages, Contract

Updated: 29 September 2022; Ref: scu.272531

Barron and Others v Collins: QBD 6 Feb 2017

Three MPs had sued in defamation after the defendant had wrongly accused them of knowing of the sexual exploitation of children in Rotherham without doing anything about it. Liability now being established, the court set out to assess the damages payable under an offer of amends.
Held: The court set starting points of pounds 10,000 for each slander, and pounds 50,000 for each act of defamation.
Warby J repeated that: ‘ . . special caution is required when it comes to deciding what is justified and proportionate by way of compensation for libels such as those in issue here, which are published by one politician about another on a topic of public interest. Politicians may in general have thicker skins than the average. Whether or not that is so in the individual case, they are expected to tolerate more than would be expected of others.’

Judges:

Warby J

Citations:

[2017] EWHC 162 (QB)

Links:

Bailii

Statutes:

Defamation Act 1996

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

CitedTurley v Unite The Union and Another QBD 19-Dec-2019
Defamation of Labour MP by Unite and Blogger
The claimant now a former MP had alleged that a posting on a website supported by the first defendant was false and defamatory. The posting suggested that the claimant had acted dishonestly in applying online for a category of membership of the . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Defamation, Damages

Updated: 27 September 2022; Ref: scu.574091

Coles and Others v Hetherton and Others: ComC 22 Sep 2011

Parties challenged the method used by the Royal and Sun Alliance insurance to calculate the cost of repairs to motor vehicles damaged in accidents. After conflicting decisions in County Courts, the issue was brought before the Commercial Court.
Held: The applications should be transferred and the court gave management directions.

Judges:

Walker J

Citations:

[2011] EWHC 2405 (Comm)

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

See AlsoColes and Others v Hetherton and Others ComC 15-Jun-2012
. .
See AlsoColes and Others v Hetherton and Others CA 20-Dec-2013
The claimants’ insurers disputed arrangements by the defendants’ insurers in motor accident claims which, they said artificially inflated the costs of repairs to the profit of the defendants’ insurers. . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages, Road Traffic

Updated: 20 September 2022; Ref: scu.444878

XP v Compensa Towarzystwo Sa and Another: QBD 13 Jul 2016

The claimant had been injured in two separate car accidents suffering physical and psychiatric injuries. Liability was admitted but the insurers coud not agree apportionment of losses.

Judges:

Whipple J

Citations:

[2016] EWHC 1728 (QB)

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedBumper Development Corporation Ltd v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis CA 1991
An Indian temple having a legal persona recognised in India may assert rights and make claims under English Law. Even though it would not be recognised as a litigant if based in England and Wales, it was nonetheless entitled, in accordance with the . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Personal Injury, Damages

Updated: 19 September 2022; Ref: scu.567070

Johnson and Another v Davis and Another: CA 18 Mar 1998

The court was asked: ‘whether or not the appellants were released from their obligation under a covenant to indemnify the respondents against claims arising under a lease by reason of the terms of an individual voluntary arrangement made under part VIII of the Insolvency Act 1986 by a co-obligee who was liable, jointly with the appellants, under the same covenant.’
Held: There is no rule of law that one joint debtor (not joint and several) may not be released from debt by the individual voluntary arrangement of another.
Chadwick LJ observed that: ‘The statutory hypothesis is that the person who had notice of and was entitled to vote at the meeting is party to an arrangement to which he has given his consent . . Unlike the earlier legislation, section 260(2) of the Act of 1986 does not purport, directly, to impose the arrangement on a dissenting creditor whether or not he has agreed to its terms; rather, he is bound by the arrangements as the result of a statutory hypothesis. The statutory hypothesis requires him to be treated as if he had consented to the arrangement.’ Accordingly, questions as to the effect of the arrangement on sureties . . were to be answered by treating the arrangement as consensual; that is to say, by construing its terms as if they were the terms of a consensual agreement between the debtor and all those creditors who, under the statutory hypothesis, must be treated as being consenting parties.’

Judges:

Chadwick, Kennedy, Ward LJJ

Citations:

Times 31-Mar-1998, Gazette 13-May-1998, [1999] Ch 117, [1998] EWCA Civ 483, [1998] 2 All ER 649

Links:

Bailii

Statutes:

Insolvency Act 1986 260(2)

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedDeanplan Limited v Mahmoud 1992
The court considered whether a release of one of joint contractors released the other contractors. He said: ‘An original lessee or intermediate assignee of the lease who had given a direct covenant to pay rent and observe the covenant is released . .
CitedRA Securities v Mercantile Credit 1995
The effect of an individual voluntary arrangement was not such as to release solvent co-debtors under the rule of law that the release of one of two or more joint debtors has the effect of releasing the other or others. . .
AppliedWatts v Aldington, Tolstoy v Aldington CA 15-Dec-1993
There had been a settlement of proceedings for libel brought by Lord Aldington against Mr Nigel Watts and Count Nikolai Tolstoy. Lord Aldington had obtained judgment for andpound;1.5 million in damages against both defendants following a trial. . .

Cited by:

CitedChelsea Building Society v Nash CA 19-Oct-2010
The defendant customer of the Society appealed against an order as to the sum due under a joint mortgage. She said that the ‘full and final settlement’ of the debt with Ms Nash’s former husband and joint mortgagor had the effect of releasing Ms Nash . .
CitedWright and Another (Liquidators of SHB Realisations Ltd) v The Prudential Assurance Company Ltd ChD 6-Mar-2018
IVA is a special form of contract
Liquidators asked the court whether sums sought by the insolvent company’s landlords were payable and or provable. Under an IVA, the copany had been paying reduced rents, but the arrangement document provided that the full rents would be restored on . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Insolvency, Damages, Contract

Updated: 19 September 2022; Ref: scu.443849

XX v Whittington Hospital NHS Trust: QBD 18 Sep 2017

The defendant Trust admitted a failure to diagnose cancer in the claimant. As a result of the necessary treatment, she became infertile. An earlier treatment might have avoided this. She now sought damages, inter alia for losses associated with the costs of a foreign surrogate pregnancy.
Held: Damages were calculated and awarded including a sum toward the costs of the surrogacy arrangement.

Judges:

Sir Robert Nelson

Citations:

[2017] EWHC 2318 (QB), [2018] PIQR Q2

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedBriody v St Helens and Knowlsey Area Health Authority CA 29-Jun-2001
The appellant had claimed and been awarded damages for a negligently performed caesarean operation. She had been refused damages for the cost of later going to California to go through a commercial surrogacy procedure.
Held: Such claims were . .

Cited by:

Appeal fromXX v Whittington Hospital NHS Trust CA 19-Dec-2018
The defendant had failed to diagnose cancer in the claimant. The court was now asked whether the judge was correct in law to refuse (or limit) Ms X’s recovery of damages for expenses of surrogacy arrangements which she intended to make, either in . .
At QBDXX v Whittington Hospital NHS Trust (Leave) CA 19-Dec-2018
Refusal of permission to appeal to Supreme Court . .
CitedWhittington Hospital NHS Trust v XX SC 1-Apr-2020
A negligent delay in the diagnosis of her cancer left the clamant dependent on paid for surrogacy arrangements. Three issues were raised; could damages to fund surrogacy arrangements using the claimant’s own eggs be recovered? Second, if so, could . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Professional Negligence, Damages

Updated: 19 September 2022; Ref: scu.597495

King v Bristow Helicopters Ltd: IHCS 25 Oct 2000

The definition ‘any other bodily harm’ contained in the Warsaw Convention was wide enough to include psychiatric harm. Returning to the original text of the convention it was clear that it was not intended simply to import the French law, and that the words were ones of expansion, rather than limitation of the scope of damages which could be claimed. Psychiatric harm which was not claimed to be consequent from physical injury or condition, was claimable under the Convention.

Citations:

Times 25-Oct-2000

Statutes:

Warsaw Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules regarding International Air Transport 1929

Jurisdiction:

Scotland

Personal Injury, Damages, Transport

Updated: 16 September 2022; Ref: scu.82783

Lanceley v Wirral Borough Council: UTLC 9 May 2011

COMPENSATION – Land Compensation Act 1973 Part I – depreciation by physical factors caused by the use of a new road – noise, vibration, dust, artificial lighting – comparables – compensation assessed at pounds 1,000.

Citations:

[2011] UKUT 175 (LC)

Links:

Bailii

Statutes:

Land Compensation Act 1973

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Land, Damages

Updated: 13 September 2022; Ref: scu.440793

Dalling v R J Heale and Co Ltd: CA 5 Apr 2011

The claimant sought damages after injuring his head at work. He suffered a a second accident elsewhere whilst intoxicated, but said that the first injury had left him less able to manage his drinking.

Judges:

My P, Smith, Aikens LJJ

Citations:

[2011] EWCA Civ 365

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Personal Injury, Damages

Updated: 06 September 2022; Ref: scu.431827

Arhin v Enfield Primary Care Trust: CA 20 Dec 2010

The claimant doctor appealed against the refusal of compensatory damages awarded on a finding that she had been unfairly selected for redundancy.

Judges:

Maurice Kay VP CA, Smith, Leveson LLJ

Citations:

[2010] EWCA Civ 1481

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedMeek v City of Birmingham District Council CA 18-Feb-1987
Employment Tribunals to Provide Sufficient Reasons
Tribunals, when giving their decisions, are required to do no more than to make clear their findings of fact and to answer any question of law raised.
Bingham LJ said: ‘It has on a number of occasions been made plain that the decision of an . .
Appeal fromArhin v Enfield Primary Care Trust EAT 26-Jan-2010
EAT PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE: Appellate Jurisdiction/Reasons/Burns-Barke
REDUNDANCY
UNFAIR DISMISSAL
RACE DISCRIMINATION
The employer was found not to have acted by reason of race when . .
CitedBalfour Beatty Power Networks Ltd and Another v Wilcox and others CA 20-Jul-2006
Rule 30(6) of the 2004 Rules, which requires sufficient reasons, is intended to be a guide and not a straitjacket so that if it can be reasonably spelled out from a determination that what the rule requires has been provided by the Tribunal, then no . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Employment, Damages

Updated: 31 August 2022; Ref: scu.427363

Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago v Ramanoop: PC 23 Mar 2005

(Trinidad and Tobago) A police officer had unjustifiably roughed up, arrested, taken to the police station and locked up Mr Ramanoop, who now sought constitutional redress, including exemplary damages. He did not claim damages for the nominate torts that had certainly been committed. Counsel for the Attorney General submitted that constitutional redress, in so far as it took the form of an award of damages, should be confined to compensatory damages.
Held: The Board upheld the award of vindicatory damages in respect of the officers serious misbehaviour, though these were not exemplary damages or awarded for any punitive purpose.
Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead said: ‘Their Lordships view the matter as follows. Section 14 recognises and affirms the court’s power to award remedies for contravention of chapter I rights and freedoms. This jurisdiction is an integral part of the protection chapter I of the Constitution confers on the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. It is an essential element in the protection intended to be afforded by the Constitution against misuse of state power. Section 14 presupposes that, by exercise of this jurisdiction, the court will be able to afford the wronged citizen effective relief in respect of the state’s violation of a constitutional right. This jurisdiction is separate from and additional to (‘without prejudice to’) all other remedial jurisdiction of the court.
. . When exercising this constitutional jurisdiction the court is concerned to uphold, or vindicate, the constitutional right which has been contravened. A declaration by the court will articulate the fact of the violation, but in most cases more will be required than words. If the person wronged has suffered damage, the court may award him compensation. The comparable common law measure of damages will often be a useful guide in assessing the amount of compensation. But this measure is no more than a guide because the award of compensation under section 14 is discretionary and moreover, the violation of the constitutional right will not always be coterminous with the cause of action at law.
An award of compensation will go some distance towards vindicating the infringed constitutional right. How far it goes will depend on the circumstances, but in principle it may well not suffice. The fact that the right violated was a constitutional right adds an extra dimension to the wrong. An additional award, not necessarily of substantial size, may be needed to reflect the sense of public outrage, emphasise the importance of the constitutional right and the gravity of the breach, and deter further breaches. All these elements have a place in this additional award. ‘Redress’ in section 14 is apt to encompass such an award if the court considers it is required having regard to all the circumstances. Although such an award, where called for, is likely in most cases to cover much the same ground in financial terms as would an award by way of punishment in the strict sense of retribution, punishment in the latter sense is not its object. Accordingly, the expressions ‘punitive damages’ or ‘exemplary damages’ are better avoided as descriptions of this type of additional award . . For these reasons their Lordships are unable to accept the Attorney General’s basic submission that a monetary award under section 14 is confined to an award of compensatory damages in the traditional sense. Bereaux J stated his jurisdiction too narrowly. The matter should be remitted to him, or another judge, to consider whether an additional award of damages of the character described above is appropriate in this case. Their Lordships dismiss this appeal with costs.’

Judges:

Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead

Citations:

[2005] UKPC 15, [2005] 2 WLR 1324, [2006] 1 AC 328

Links:

Bailii, PC

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedHarrikissoon v Attorney-General of Trinidad and Tobago PC 1980
(Trinidad and Tobago) The appellant teacher alleged that he had been transferred from one school to another without proper notice and as punishment. The appellant instead of following a laid out procedure which would have eventually led to a . .

Cited by:

CitedMerson v Cartwright, The Attorney General PC 13-Oct-2005
(Bahamas) The defendant police had appealed the quantum of damages awarded to the claimant for assault and battery and false imprisonment and malicious prosecution, saying that she had been doubly compensated. The claimant now appealed reduction of . .
CitedAshley and Another v Chief Constable of Sussex Police HL 23-Apr-2008
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 . .
CitedSubiah v The Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago PC 3-Nov-2008
(Trinidad and Tobago) The Board considered the extent of damages for infringement of the claimant’s constitutional rights. He had been on board a bus. He complained when a policeman was allowed not to buy a ticket. The same constable arrested him as . .
CitedTakitota v the Attorney General and others PC 18-Mar-2009
(Bahamas) The applicant a tourist had been wrongfully detained in appalling conditions in the Bahamas for over eight years after he lost his documents. He now appealed against an award of $500,000 dollars compensation.
Held: ‘it would not be . .
CitedLumba (WL) v Secretary of State for The Home Department SC 23-Mar-2011
The claimants had been detained under the 1971 Act, after completing sentences of imprisonment pending their return to their home countries under deportations recommended by the judges at trial, or chosen by the respondent. They challenged as . .
CitedTakitota v The Attorney General and Others PC 18-Mar-2009
Bahamas – The claimant appeald as to the amount of compensation awarded to him for his unlawful detention for over eight years, in appalling prison conditions. The Court of Appeal categorised his treatment not only as ‘less than humane’ but as a . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages, Police, Constitutional

Updated: 29 August 2022; Ref: scu.223876

Phillips v Ward: CA 1956

A negligent survey had been provided to prospective purchasers of a house. It would have cost andpound;7,000 to put the property into the condition in which it had been described in the report.
Held: The correct measure of damages was not andpound;7,000 but andpound;4,000. The latter figure represented the difference between the value of the property as it should have been described at the time of its acquisition and its value as described.
Denning LJ stated that: ‘The general principle of English law is that damages must be assessed at the date when the damage occurred, which is usually the same day as the cause of action arises . . ‘ and ‘The proper measure of damages is . . the difference between the value in its assumed good condition and the value in the bad condition which should have been reported to the client.’

Judges:

Denning LJ

Citations:

[1956] 1 WLR 471, [1956] 1 All ER 874

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

CitedDowns and Another v Chappell and Another CA 3-Apr-1996
The plaintiffs had suceeded in variously establishing claims in deceit and negligence, but now appealed against the finding that no damages had flowed from the wrongs. They had been sold a business on the basis of incorrect figures.
Held: . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages, Professional Negligence

Updated: 22 August 2022; Ref: scu.567831

Willowtech Ltd v Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council: UTLC 25 Feb 2010

UTLC COMPENSATION – compulsory purchase – small industrial estate – capital value of freehold interest – rent passing – open market rental value – yield – comparables – loss of rent on review – management time – compensation awarded andpound;298,450.

Citations:

[2010] UKUT 44 (LC)

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Land, Damages

Updated: 18 August 2022; Ref: scu.415001

Helmsley Acceptances Ltd v Hampton: CA 11 Mar 2010

The claimant lender sought damages from an allegedly negligent valuation by the defendant. It had syndicated its loan, and the defendant now argued that it could only claim for that part of the loan for which it retained ownership.
Held: The claimants had an arguable claim which should be allowed to go to trial. But it was also arguable that, even if the investors now joined fail for any reason to recover damages in respect of their loss, the loss can nevertheless be recoverable, either because Helmsley constituted themselves trustees of the securities and, by implication, the rights associated with the securities, or because Helmsley can rely on the so-called Albazero exception.

Judges:

Longmore, Smith, Briggs LJJ

Citations:

[2010] EWCA Civ 356

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedLinden Gardens Trust Ltd v Lenesta Sludge Disposals Ltd and Others; St. Martins Property Corporation Ltd v Sir Robert McAlpine HL 8-Dec-1993
A contractor had done defective work in breach of a building contract with the developer but the loss was suffered by a third party who had by then purchased the development. The developer recovered the loss suffered by the purchaser.
Held: . .
CitedTechnotrade Ltd v Larkstore Ltd CA 27-Jul-2006
A claim was made for damages arising from building operations. Question as to legal effect of assignment of cause of action. . .
CitedAlbacruz (Cargo Owners) v Albazero ‘The Albazero’ HL 1977
The House was asked as to the extent to which a consignor can claim damages against a carrier in circumstances where the consignor did not retain either property or risk. To the general principle that a person cannot recover substantial damages for . .
CitedBanque Bruxelles Lambert Sa v Eagle Star Insurance Co Ltd and Others CA 24-Feb-1995
The plaintiffs were mortgagees. The defendants were valuers. The defendants negligently over-valued properties and the plaintiffs then accepted mortgages of the properties. Later the property market collapsed and the various borrowers defaulted and . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages, Banking

Updated: 17 August 2022; Ref: scu.407767

Globalia Business Travel Sau of Spain v Fulton Shipping Inc of Panama: SC 28 Jun 2017

The court was asked how to assess damages arising out of the repudiation of a charterparty by charterers of a cruise ship, the ‘New Flameno’. The charter ending two years early, the owners chose to sell, and in the result got a much better price than would have been obtained had the charter continued for two years.
Held: The appeal was allowed, and the decision of the judge at first instance. Viewed as a question of principle, most damages issues arise from the default rules which the law devises to give effect to the principle of compensation, while recognising that there may be special facts which show that the default rules will not have that effect in particular cases. On the facts here the fall in value of the vessel was in my opinion irrelevant because the owners’ interest in the capital value of the vessel had nothing to do with the interest injured by the charterers’ repudiation of the charterparty.
‘ . . difference in kind is too vague and potentially too arbitrary a test. The essential question is whether there is a sufficiently close link between the two and not whether they are similar in nature. The relevant link is causation. The benefit to be brought into account must have been caused either by the breach of the charterparty or by a successful act of mitigation.’
‘That difference or loss was, in my opinion, not on the face of it caused by the repudiation of the charterparty. The repudiation resulted in a prospective loss of income for a period of about two years. Yet, there was nothing about the premature termination of the charterparty which made it necessary to sell the vessel, either at all or at any particular time. Indeed, it could have been sold during the term of the charterparty. If the owners decide to sell the vessel, whether before or after termination of the charterparty, they are making a commercial decision at their own risk about the disposal of an interest in the vessel which was no part of the subject matter of the charterparty and had nothing to do with the charterers.’

Judges:

Lord Neuberger, President, Lord Mance, Lord Clarke, Lord Sumption, Lord Hodge

Citations:

[2017] UKSC 43, [2018] 1 All ER (Comm) 95, [2018] 1 All ER 45, [2017] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 177, [2017] 2 CLC 58, [2017] WLR(D) 440, 173 Con LR 20, [2017] 1 WLR 2581, UKSC 2016/0026

Links:

Bailii, Bailii Summary, SC, SC Summary, SC Summary Video, WLRD

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

At first InstanceFulton Shipping Inc of Panama v Globalia Business Travel SAU (Formerly Travelplan SAU) of Spain ComC 21-May-2014
The former owners of the ‘New Flameno’ appealed from an arbitration award. A charter of the vessel had been repudiated with two years left to run. The owners chose to sell. They made a substantial profit over the price they would have received after . .
Appeal fromFulton Shipping Inc of Panama v Globalia Business Travel Sau CA 21-Dec-2015
The charter of the ship ‘New Flameno’ was repudiated two years early. The owners sold it, making rather more profit than they would have if sold after the end of the term. The court was now asked how the profit should affect the loss claim on the . .
CitedBradburn v Great Western Rail Co CEC 1874
The plaintiff had received a sum of money from a private insurer to compensate him for lost income as a result of an accident caused by the negligence of the defendant.
Held: He was entitled to full damages as well as the payment from the . .
CitedBritish Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co v Underground Electric Railways Co (London) Limited HL 1912
The plaintiffs purchased eight steam turbines from the defendants. They later proved defective, and the plaintiffs sought damages. In the meantime they purchased replacements, more effective than the original specifications. In the result the . .
CitedShearman v Folland CA 1950
The injured plaintiff had lived before the accident in hotels to which she paid seven guineas a week for board and lodging. After the accident she spent just over a year in nursing homes at a cost of twelve guineas a week exclusive of medical . .
CitedParry v Cleaver HL 5-Feb-1969
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 . .
CitedP Samuel and Co v Dumas HL 1924
Viscount Cave said: ”… My Lords, there is force in this argument, but I am not prepared to say that in the present case it should prevail. It may well be that, when two persons are jointly insured and their interests are inseparably connected so . .
CitedBellingham v Dhillon QBD 1973
The plaintiff claimed damages for personal injuries, and in particular the loss of profits from his driving school business. He lost the opportunity to lease a driving simulator which would have enabled his company to earn a continuing profit. In . .
CitedThe Yasin 1979
Receivers claimed against shipowners under a bill of lading for loss of a cargo. The shipowners argued on a preliminary issue that the insurance proceeds paid to receivers fell to be taken into account so as to wipe out the damages claimed. They . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages, Transport

Updated: 16 August 2022; Ref: scu.588313

Markerstudy Insurance Company Ltd and Others v Endsleigh Insurance Services Ltd: ComC 18 Feb 2010

The claimant insurers alleged the mishandling of insurance claims by the defendant of many claims leading to substantial losses. The parties asked the court to determine a basis for calculation of damages under the contract.
Held: A similar clause had been discussed in BHP, and the claims were not excluded.

Judges:

David Steel J

Citations:

[2010] EWHC 281 (Comm)

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedHadley v Baxendale Exc 23-Feb-1854
Contract Damages; What follows the Breach Naturaly
The plaintiffs had sent a part of their milling machinery for repair. The defendants contracted to carry it, but delayed in breach of contract. The plaintiffs claimed damages for the earnings lost through the delay. The defendants appealed, saying . .
DiscussedBHP Petroleum Ltd and Others v British Steel Plc and Another ComC 5-Jul-1999
There was a contract for the supply of steel for a pipeline. It excluded liability for ‘loss of production, loss of profits, loss of business or any other indirect losses or consequential damages’
Held: Rix J referred to as a conundrum by the . .
CitedFerryways Nv v Associated British Ports ComC 14-Feb-2008
The court considered the effect of an exclusion from liability reading: ‘Exclusion and Limitations of Liability . . (c) Where the Company is in breach of its obligations in respect of the Services or under any Contract or any duties it may have as . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Contract, Damages

Updated: 14 August 2022; Ref: scu.401648

Gerber Garment Technology Inc v Lectra Systems Ltd: ChD 30 Jan 1995

A prior art recital in a Patent application is strong but rebuttable evidence of the state of knowledge.

Judges:

Jacob J

Citations:

Ind Summary 30-Jan-1995, [1995] RPC 383

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

Appeal FromGerber Garment Technology Inc v Lectra Systems Limited Lectra Systemes SA CA 18-Dec-1996
The plaintiffs claimed damages for patent infringement. Some of the lost profits for which the plaintiff company claimed damages were suffered by subsidiary companies in which it held all the shares.
Held: When a shareholder has a cause of . .
CitedLondon General Holdings Ltd and others v USP Plc and Another CA 22-Jul-2005
Copyright was claimed in a draft legal agreement. Infringement was established, but the court was asked to look at the assessment of damages.
Held: ‘what is the basis upon which damages for breach of copyright are awarded? The question cannot . .
CitedDevenish Nutrition Ltd and others v Sanofi-Aventis SA (France) and others ChD 19-Oct-2007
The claimant sought damages for the losses it had suffered as a result of price fixing by the defendant companies in the vitamin market. The European Commission had already fined the defendant for its involvement.
Held: In an action for breach . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Intellectual Property, Damages

Updated: 14 August 2022; Ref: scu.80801

Malik and Another v Bank of Credit and Commerce International Sa: CA 17 Mar 1995

No compensation was payable for a stigma of innocent workers having worked for a fraudulent bank.

Citations:

Times 12-Apr-1995, Independent 17-Mar-1995

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

Appeal fromMalik and Another v Bank of Credit and Commerce International Sa Chd 23-Feb-1994
A stigma arising from an association with a notorious employer gave rise to no cause of action. . .

Cited by:

Appeal fromMalik v Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI); Mahmud v Bank of Credit and Commerce International HL 12-Jun-1997
Allowance of Stigma Damages
The employees claimed damages, saying that the way in which their employer had behaved during their employment had led to continuing losses, ‘stigma damages’ after the termination.
Held: It is an implied term of any contract of employment that . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Employment, Damages

Updated: 06 August 2022; Ref: scu.83349

Regina v Secretary of State for Home Department Ex Parte Fire Brigades Union and Others: QBD 24 May 1994

The Home Secretary was under no duty to bring the new statutory CICB scheme into force on any particular date. He was free to continue to use his own. The court refused to order a judicial review.

Judges:

Staughton LJ and Buckley J

Citations:

Times 30-May-1994, Independent 24-May-1994

Statutes:

Criminal Justice Act 1988 17(1) 108 109 110 8111 112 113 114 115 116 117

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

Appeal fromRegina v Secretary of State for Home Department Ex Parte Fire Brigades Union and Others CA 10-Nov-1994
The Home Secretary’s non-statutory scheme for the compensation for criminal injuries was unlawful pending implementation of the Act. It amounted to an abuse of power. He had power to delay implementing the new Act, with no duty to bring it into . .
At First InstanceRegina v Secretary of State for the Home Department ex parte Fire Brigades Union HL 5-Apr-1995
Parliament had passed the 1988 Act which provided for a new Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. Instead of implementing the Act, the Home Secretary drew up a non-statutory scheme for a tarriff based system by using prerogative powers. The . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Personal Injury, Judicial Review, Damages

Updated: 03 August 2022; Ref: scu.87741

Mouat v Betts Motors Ltd: PC 20 Oct 1958

When setting a level of damages, a price on a surreptitious market should be used, if that gave the correct measure of the loss.

Judges:

Lord Denning

Citations:

[1959] AC 71, [1958] UKPC 23, [1958] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 321

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedBritish Motor Trade Association v Gilbert 1951
The Association had attempted to control the price of cars in the context of statutory support. It was after the Second World war and new cars were in short supply. Buyers of new cars had to contract not to sell the car bought for two years without . .

Cited by:

CitedIslam, Regina v HL 10-Jun-2009
The defendant appealed against a confiscation order saying that it should not have been set at values which reflected the black market value of the drugs he had imported.
Held: The appeal failed. The court could take account of the illegal . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages

Updated: 03 August 2022; Ref: scu.374251

Broadway Approvals Ltd v Odhams Press Ltd (No 2): CA 1965

A company’s mind is not to be assessed on the totality of knowledge of its employees. Malice was not to be established by forensic imagination however eloquently and subtly expressed.
Russell LJ said: ‘the law of libel seems to have characteristics of such complication and subtlety that I wonder whether a jury on retiring can readily distinguish their heads from their heels.’

Judges:

Sellers, Davies and Russell L.JJ

Citations:

[1965] 1 WLR 805

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

AppliedRookes v Barnard (No 1) HL 21-Jan-1964
The court set down the conditions for the award of exemplary damages. There are two categories. The first is where there has been oppressive or arbitrary conduct by a defendant. Cases in the second category are those in which the defendant’s conduct . .

Cited by:

CitedAlexander v Arts Council of Wales CA 9-Apr-2001
In a defamation action, where the judge considered that, taken at their highest, the allegations made by the claimant would be insufficient to establish the claim, he could grant summary judgment for the defence. If the judge considered that a . .
CitedCassell and Co Ltd v Broome and Another HL 23-Feb-1972
Exemplary Damages Award in Defamation
The plaintiff had been awarded damages for defamation. The defendants pleaded justification. Before the trial the plaintiff gave notice that he wanted additional, exemplary, damages. The trial judge said that such a claim had to have been pleaded. . .
CitedTelnikoff v Matusevitch HL 14-Nov-1991
The court should decide on whether an article is ‘fact or comment’ purely by reference to the article itself, and not taking into account any of the earlier background coverage. It is the obligation of the relevant commentator to make clear that the . .
CitedBray v Deutsche Bank Ag QBD 12-Jun-2008
A former employee of the defendant bank sued in defamation after the bank published a press release about its results which he said was critical of him.
Held: Where there is a real issue as to whether the words are defamatory of the claimant, . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Defamation, Damages, Company

Updated: 31 July 2022; Ref: scu.194318

Mattocks v Mann: CA 2 Sep 1992

The plaintiff was able to recover the cost of a car hire till his repair bill had been paid by the insurers, where he was himself unable to pay the bill. ‘. . at the present day it is generally accepted that, in what Lord Wright termed ‘the varied web of affairs’ that follows a sequence of events after an accident of this kind, it is only in an exceptional case that it is possible or correct to isolate impecuniosity, as it is sometimes called, or the plaintiff’s inability to pay for the cost of repairs from his own resources as a separate cause and as terminating the consequences of a defendant’s wrong. It seems to me necessary today to consider whether, having regard to all the circumstances of the case and the resources available to a plaintiff, resources known by the defendant or her representatives to be of a kind that will not be able to provide for the repairs themselves, in all the circumstances, the plaintiff has acted reasonably and with commercial prudence.’

Judges:

Beldam LJ, Nourse and Stocker LJJ

Citations:

Gazette 02-Sep-1992, [1993] RTR 13

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

CitedLagden v O’Connor HL 4-Dec-2003
The parties had been involved in a road traffic accident. The defendant drove into the claimant’s parked car. The claimant was unable to afford to hire a car pending repairs being completed, and arranged to hire a car on credit. He now sought . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages

Updated: 31 July 2022; Ref: scu.83484

SRM Global Master Fund Lp and Others v Her Majesty’s Treasury: CA 28 Jul 2009

The claimants appealed rejection of their claim for compensation as shareholders on the rescue of Northern Rock plc.

Citations:

[2009] EWCA Civ 788

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedHandyside v The United Kingdom ECHR 7-Dec-1976
Freedom of Expression is Fundamental to Society
The appellant had published a ‘Little Red Schoolbook’. He was convicted under the 1959 and 1964 Acts on the basis that the book was obscene, it tending to deprave and corrupt its target audience, children. The book claimed that it was intended to . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Financial Services, Damages

Updated: 30 July 2022; Ref: scu.365617

Energysolutions EU Ltd v Nuclear Decommissioning Authority: CA 15 Dec 2015

The claimant had tendered for a part in a major nuclear decommissioning project.

Judges:

Lord Dyson MR, Tomlinson, Vos LJJ

Citations:

[2015] EWCA Civ 1262, [2015] WLR (D) 528, 163 Con LR 27, [2016] PTSR 689

Links:

Bailii, WLRD

Statutes:

Public Contracts Regulations 2006

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

Appeal fromEnergy Solutions EU Ltd v Nuclear Decommissioning Authority TCC 23-Jan-2014
This litigation concerns the procurement process for a contract in relation to the decommissioning of nuclear installations. The Claimant is a company which provides integrated waste management and decommissioning services for the nuclear industry. . .

Cited by:

Appeal fromNuclear Decommissioning Authority v Energysolutions EU Ltd (Now Called ATK Energy EU Ltd) SC 11-Apr-2017
This is an appeal on preliminary points of European Union and domestic law regarding the circumstances in which damages may be recoverable for failure to comply with the requirements of the Public Procurement Directive (Parliament and Council . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Administrative, Damages, European

Updated: 26 July 2022; Ref: scu.557082

Siddall, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for Justice: Admn 16 Mar 2009

The claimant had been imprisoned then released after his conviction for sexual assaults. He appealed against rejection of his claim for compensation. The criterion for compensation was demonstrating that something had ‘gone seriously wrong in the conduct of the trial.’
Held: The claim failed. ‘a true analysis of the law is in any event less favourable to Mr Siddall; it is not suggested that he could establish beyond reasonable doubt that he was clearly innocent thereby bringing himself within the approach advocated by Lord Steyn.’ The claimant’s case and that of the other accused discharged ta the same time were not eth same and no argument from unequality in treatment would succeed.

Judges:

Leveson LJ, Sweeney J

Citations:

[2009] EWHC 482 (Admin)

Links:

Bailii

Statutes:

Criminal Justice Act 1988 133

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedHarris, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department Admn 10-Dec-2007
The court considered an application for compensation by a former prisoner whose conviction had been overturned. . .
triticisedIn re Boyle, Judicial Review QBNI 24-Oct-2007
The court considered an appeal by the claimant against refusal of compensation where he had served a term of imprisonment, but later had his conviction overturned. The conviction had relied upon challenged admissions which two police officers . .
CitedClibery, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department Admn 30-Jul-2007
The claimant sought judicial review of a decision of the Home Secretary, to refuse his application for compensation. He had first been convicted and imprisoned and then had his conviction quashed. The respondent did not think that the conviction was . .
See AlsoSiddall and Brooke, Regina v CACD 15-Jun-2006
The court considered cases referred to it by the Criminal Cases Review Commission. Each related to convictions for sexual assaults on children in care. New material including several untrue allegations by the complainants suggested that the . .
CitedRegina v Pendleton HL 13-Dec-2001
The defendant had appealed his conviction for murder to the Court of Appeal. The 1968 Act required the court to consider whether the conviction was unsafe. New evidence was before the Court of Appeal, but they had rejected the appeal.
Held: . .
CitedAllen (formerly Harris), Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for Justice CA 15-Jul-2008
The claimant appealed against refusal of a review of the defendant to allow her compensation after her conviction for manslaughter of her infant son was quashed.
Held: The conviction had been based on flawed expert evidence.
Article 6(2) . .
CitedMullen, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department HL 29-Apr-2004
The claimant had been imprisoned, but his conviction was later overturned. He had been a victim of a gross abuse of executive power. The British authorities had acted in breach of international law and had been guilty of ‘a blatant and extremely . .
CitedO’Brien and others v Independent Assessor HL 14-Mar-2007
The claimants had been wrongly imprisoned for a murder they did not commit. The assessor had deducted from their compensation a sum to represent the living costs they would have incurred if living freely. They also appealed differences from a . .

Cited by:

CitedAdams, Regina (on The Application of) v Secretary of State for Justice SC 11-May-2011
The three claimants had each been convicted of murders and served time. Their convictions had been reversed eventually, and they now appealed against the refusal of compensation for imprisonment, saying that there had been a miscarriage of justice. . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages, Criminal Practice

Updated: 23 July 2022; Ref: scu.323741

Amec Developments Ltd v Jurys Hotel Management (UK) Ltd: ChD 17 Nov 2000

The court considered the award of damages after building works by the defendant in breach of a restrictive covenant.
Held: The complexity of the financing and other factors relevant to the calculation of the developer’s profit mean that the Court is unlikely to be able to perform this exercise without expert assistance and evidence from the parties as to how they would have perceived their respective strengths and weaknesses in any negotiations.

Judges:

Anthony Mann QC

Citations:

[2000] EWHC Ch 454, [2000] EGCS 138, [2002] TCLR 13, [2001] 7 EG 163, (2001) 82 P and CR 22, [2001] 1 EGLR 81

Links:

Bailii

Statutes:

Chancery Amendment Act 1858

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

CitedJones and Another v Ruth and Another CA 12-Jul-2011
The parties were neighbours. The claimants succeeded in their assertion of trespass and nuisance in building works carried out by the defendant. The claimant appealed against the judge’s failure to award damages for harassment, saying that though . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages

Updated: 21 July 2022; Ref: scu.261946

AB and others v Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust: QBD 26 Mar 2004

Representative claims were made against the respondents, hospitals, pathologists etc with regard to the removal of organs from deceased children without the informed consent of the parents. They claimed under the tort of wrongful interference.
Held: Organ removal when a post mortem had been ordered by the coroner was not tortious. In English law there is no known case involving the tort of wrongful interference with a body, and that claim failed.
As to negligence, though the primary doctor-patient relationship was with the child, ‘taking consent for a post-mortem was not just an administrative matter bringing a doctor into contact with a mother. It was . . part of the continuing duty of care owed by the clinicians to the mother following the death of a child.’

Judges:

The Honourable Mr Justice Gage

Citations:

[2004] EWHC 644 (QB), Times 12-Apr-2004, (2004) 77 BMLR 145, [2004] 2 FLR 365, [2004] 3 FCR 324, [2004] Fam Law 501, [2005] 2 WLR 358, [2005] Lloyd’s Rep Med 1, [2005] QB 50

Links:

Bailii

Statutes:

Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987 41(1), Coroners Act 1988 8(1)(b), Human Tissue Act 1961

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedMacFarlane and Another v Tayside Health Board HL 21-Oct-1999
Child born after vasectomy – Damages Limited
Despite a vasectomy, Mr MacFarlane fathered a child, and he and his wife sought damages for the cost of care and otherwise of the child. He appealed a rejection of his claim.
Held: The doctor undertakes a duty of care in regard to the . .
CitedRegina v Kelly 1999
Robbers who stole and sold preserved specimens from the Royal College of Surgeons’ collection were held rightly convicted of theft. The court considered the issue of ownership of a corpse: ‘We accept that however questionable the historical origins . .
CitedRegina v Sharpe CCCR 1857
The defendant was charged not with theft of a corpse, but of its removal from a grave: ‘Our law recognises no property in a corpse, and the protection of the grave at common law as contradistinguished from ecclesiastic protection to consecrated . .
CitedDobson and Dobson v North Tyneside Health Authority and Newcastle Health Authority CA 26-Jun-1996
A post mortem had been carried out by the defendants. The claimants, her grandmother and child sought damages after it was discovered that not all body parts had been returned for burial, some being retained instead for medical research. They now . .
CitedPollok v Workman 1900
A widow sought damages for an unauthorised post mortem carried out on her husband. The act was alleged to have been criminal and in the nature of an action of assythment.
Held: The case was competent, but was dismissed for other reasons. . .
CitedRegina v Vann 1851
A parent of a child who had not the means of providing for the burial of the body of his deceased child was not liable to be indicted for the misdemeanour of not providing for its burial, even though a nuisance was occasioned by the body remaining . .
CitedRegina v Feist 1858
A master of a workhouse may have legal possssion of a body before burial, and therefore a duty to provide for its burial. . .
CitedRegina v Gwynedd County Council ex parte B and Another 1992
The ambit of the 1980 act does not extend to regulating events arising after a child’s death. . .
CitedClarke v London General Omnibus Co Ltd 1906
The parent of an infant child who dies where the parent has the means to do so, has a responsibility to arrange and pay for the burial. . .
CitedHughes v Robertson 1930
The widow sought damages for an unauthorised autopsy carried out upon the body of her late husband. . .
CitedDoodeward v Spence 1908
(High Court of Australia) The police seized from an exhibitor the body of a two headed still born baby which had been preserved in a bottle.
Held: An order was made for its return: ‘If, then, there can, under some circumstances, be a continued . .
CitedWilkinson v Downton 8-May-1997
Thomas Wilkinson, the landlord of a public house, went off by train, leaving his wife Lavinia behind the bar. A customer of the pub, Downton played a practical joke on her. He told her, falsely, that her husband had been involved in an accident and . .
CitedWainwright and another v Home Office HL 16-Oct-2003
The claimant and her son sought to visit her other son in Leeds Prison. He was suspected of involvement in drugs, and therefore she was subjected to strip searches. There was no statutory support for the search. The son’s penis had been touched . .
CitedEdmunds v Armstrong Funeral Home Ltd 1931
(Canada – Court of Appeal of the Alberta Supreme Court) A widower claimed damages for the unlawful carrying out of an autopsy on the body of the claimant’s deceased wife. The claim was dismissed by the judge at first instance on the ground that it . .
CitedX (Minors) v Bedfordshire County Council; M (A Minor) and Another v Newham London Borough Council; Etc HL 29-Jun-1995
Liability in Damages on Statute Breach to be Clear
Damages were to be awarded against a Local Authority for breach of statutory duty in a care case only if the statute was clear that damages were capable of being awarded. in the ordinary case a breach of statutory duty does not, by itself, give rise . .
CitedPowell and Another v Boldaz and others CA 1-Jul-1997
The plaintiff’s son aged 10 died of Addison’s Disease which had not been diagnosed. An action against the Health Authority was settled. The parents then brought an action against 5 doctors in their local GP Practice in relation to matters that had . .
CitedMcLoughlin v Jones; McLoughlin v Grovers (a Firm) CA 2002
In deciding whether a duty of care is established the court must go to the ‘battery of tests which the House of Lords has taught us to use’, namely: ‘. . the ‘purpose’ test (Banque Bruxelles Lambert SA v Eagle Star Insurance Co Ltd); the ‘assumption . .
CitedCaparo Industries Plc v Dickman and others HL 8-Feb-1990
Limitation of Loss from Negligent Mis-statement
The plaintiffs sought damages from accountants for negligence. They had acquired shares in a target company and, relying upon the published and audited accounts which overstated the company’s earnings, they purchased further shares.
Held: The . .
CitedAlcock and Others v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police HL 28-Nov-1991
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 . .
CitedJD, MAK and RK, RK and Another v East Berkshire Community Health, Dewsbury Health Care NHS Trust and Kirklees Metropolitan Council, Oldham NHS Trust and Dr Blumenthal CA 31-Jul-2003
Damages were sought by parents for psychological harm against health authorities for the wrongful diagnosis of differing forms of child abuse. They appealed dismissal of their awards on the grounds that it was not ‘fair just and reasonable’ to . .
CitedPage v Smith HL 12-May-1995
The plaintiff was driving his car when the defendant turned into his path. Both cars suffered considerable damage but the drivers escaped physical injury. The Plaintiff had a pre-existing chronic fatigue syndrome, which manifested itself from time . .
CitedBourhill v Young’s Executor HL 5-Aug-1942
When considering claims for damages for shock, the court only recognised the action lying where the injury by shock was sustained ‘through the medium of the eye or the ear without direct contact.’ Wright L said: ‘No doubt, it has long ago been . .
CitedHucks v Cole CA 1968
(Reported 1993) A doctor failed to treat with penicillin a patient, the plaintiff, in a maternity ward. She was suffering from septic spots on her skin though he knew them to contain organisms capable of leading to puerperal fever. Several . .
CitedSutherland v Hatton; Barber v Somerset County Council and similar CA 5-Feb-2002
Defendant employers appealed findings of liability for personal injuries consisting of an employee’s psychiatric illness caused by stress at work.
Held: Employers have a duty to take reasonable care for the safety of their employees. There are . .
CitedSidaway v Board of Governors of the Bethlem Royal Hospital and the Maudsley Hospital HL 21-Feb-1985
Explanation of Medical Risks essential
The plaintiff alleged negligence in the failure by a surgeon to disclose or explain to her the risks inherent in the operation which he had advised.
Held: The appeal failed. A mentally competent patient has an absolute right to refuse to . .
CitedW v Essex County Council and Another HL 17-Mar-2000
A foster child was placed with a family. The child had a history of abusing other children, but the foster parents, who had other children were not told. The foster child caused psychiatric damage to the carers.
Held: It was wrong to strike . .
CitedBolitho v City and Hackney Health Authority HL 24-Jul-1997
The plaintiff suffered catastrophic brain damage as a result of cardiac arrest induced by respiratory failure as a child whilst at the defendant hospital. A doctor was summoned but failed to attend, and the child suffered cardiac arrest and brain . .
CitedA B and others v Tameside and Glossop Health Authority and Trafford Health Authority CA 13-Nov-1996
The choice of the telephone as a means of alerting and re-assuring people, who had received treatment from a health worker later found to be HIV+, was proper. The was no breach of a duty care, even though some people called had suffered distress: . .
CitedBolton v Stone HL 10-May-1951
The plaintiff was injured by a prodigious and unprecedented hit of a cricket ball over a distance of 100 yards. He claimed damages in negligence.
Held: When looking at the duty of care the court should ask whether the risk was not so remote . .
CitedWalker v Northumberland County Council QBD 16-Nov-1994
The plaintiff was a manager within the social services department. He suffered a mental breakdown in 1986, and had four months off work. His employers had refused to provide the increased support he requested. He had returned to work, but again, did . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages, Health Professions, Torts – Other, Negligence

Updated: 21 July 2022; Ref: scu.194994

Banque Bruxelles Lambert Sa v Eagle Star Ins Co Ltd and Others: QBD 7 Mar 1994

A negligent valuer was liable for the loss arising from an overvaluation, but the valuer was not liable for that proportion of the lender’s loss on the loan which was attributable to the fall in the market after the valuation date, even though (i) the lender would not have entered into the transaction but for the valuer’s negligence; (ii) in some of the cases the lender would not even have lent a lesser sum, either because a lesser loan would have fallen outside its lending guidelines or because it would have been of no interest to the borrower; and (iii) adverse market movements were foreseeable.
The lender: ‘deliberately assumed the risk that they might suffer loss as a result of a fall in the property market. They did not rely upon John D Wood’s valuation to protect them against that risk. In these circumstances John D Wood owed no duty to protect BBL from this type of loss.’
and: ‘Where a party is contemplating a commercial venture that involves a number of heads of risk and obtains professional advice in respect of one head of risk before embarking on the venture, I do not see why negligent advice in respect of that head of risk should, in effect, make the adviser the underwriter of the entire venture. More particularly, where the negligent advice relates to the existence or amount of some security against risk in the venture, I do not see why the adviser should be liable for all the consequences of the venture, whether or not the security in question would have protected against them.’

Judges:

Phillips J

Citations:

Ind Summary 04-Apr-1994, Times 07-Mar-1994, [1995] 2 All ER 769

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

Appeal fromBanque Bruxelles Lambert Sa v Eagle Star Insurance Co Ltd and Others CA 24-Feb-1995
The plaintiffs were mortgagees. The defendants were valuers. The defendants negligently over-valued properties and the plaintiffs then accepted mortgages of the properties. Later the property market collapsed and the various borrowers defaulted and . .
At first instanceSouth Australia Asset Management Corporation v York Montague Ltd etc HL 24-Jun-1996
Limits of Damages for Negligent Valuations
Damages for negligent valuations are limited to the foreseeable consequences of advice, and do not include losses arising from a general fall in values. Valuation is seldom an exact science, and within a band of figures valuers may differ without . .
CitedBPE Solicitors and Another v Hughes-Holland (In Substitution for Gabriel) SC 22-Mar-2017
The court was asked what damages are recoverable in a case where (i) but for the negligence of a professional adviser his client would not have embarked on some course of action, but (ii) part or all of the loss which he suffered by doing so arose . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Negligence, Damages

Updated: 21 July 2022; Ref: scu.78173

Banque Bruxelles Lambert Sa v Eagle Star Insurance Co Ltd and Others: CA 24 Feb 1995

The plaintiffs were mortgagees. The defendants were valuers. The defendants negligently over-valued properties and the plaintiffs then accepted mortgages of the properties. Later the property market collapsed and the various borrowers defaulted and on sale the plaintiffs obtained substantially less than the sums they had advanced. The relevant question was whether the plaintiffs could include in their damages the difference in the value of the properties between the time of entering into the mortgages and the sale of the properties.
Held: The appeal succeeded. Damages payable to a secured lender for a negligent valuation included losses attributable to general market. Discussing liability where two causes contributed to the damages: ‘the event which the plaintiff alleges to be causative need not be the only or even the main cause of the result complained of: it is enough if it is an effective cause’
Sir Thomas Bingham MR described the valuer’s task: ‘In the absence of special instructions, it is no part of V’s duty to advise L on future movements in property prices, whether nationally or locally. The belief among buyers and sellers that prices are likely to move upwards or downwards may have an effect on current prices, and to that extent such belief may be reflected by V in his valuation. But his concern is with current value only. He is not asked to predict what will happen in the future. His valuation is not sought to protect L against future decline in property prices. In no sense is he a guarantor of L’s investment decision.’
He spoke also as to the measurement of damages: ‘where a mortgage lender would not, but for the negligent valuation, have entered into the transaction with the borrower he could recover the net loss he had sustained as a result of having done so; that a fall in the market was foreseeable, and since, in such a case, the lender would not have entered into the transaction but for the valuer’s negligence and could not escape from it unless and until the borrower defaulted, that negligence was the effective cause of his loss, and a fall in the market was not to be treated as a new intervening cause breaking the link between the valuer’s negligence and the damage sustained; accordingly on the assumed facts the mortgagees were entitled to recover damages in respect of the loss they had sustained which was attributable to market fall.’
. . And: ‘In a no-transaction purchase case, it seems clear on English authority that effect will be given to the restitutionary principle by awarding the buyer all that he has paid out less what (acting reasonably to cut his losses including selling the property) he has recovered. In no case before [the present case] has any head of foreseeable damage been excluded from the calculation.’
. . And: ‘In no-transaction mortgage lending cases it has been the practice since Baxter v Gapp [1939] 2 AER 752 to award the lender the net loss sustained as a result of entering into the transaction, which may be expressed as the difference between what the lender advanced and what the lender would have advanced if properly advised (which is always nil). Thus related expenses of sale and realisation less sums recovered . . Should a rise in the market have contributed to [a full recovery] then, as in the successful transaction case, that contribution will not be ignored so as to treat the lender as sustaining a financial loss which in fact he has not sustained. If in such a case a fall in the property market between the date of the transaction and the date of realisation contributes to the lender’s overall loss sustained as a result of entering into the transaction, it would seem to us, on a straight forward application of the restitutionary principle, that the lender should be entitled to recover that element of his loss against the negligent party.’
. . And :’Where a buyer is claiming damages for negligence in a successful transaction case the diminution in value rule ordinarily provides an adequate measure of the buyers loss. As the cases show, to award, for example, the full cost of repairs will usually lead to over-compensation. This assessment will ordinarily be made as at the date of breach, for there is no other appropriate date. The same rule will usually be applied where the buyer decides to keep the property with knowledge of its defective condition or over-valuation even if, with that knowledge, he would not have bought in the first place. In such a case no account is taken of later fluctuations in the market, for he remains the owner of the property as a result of his own independent decision and not of the negligence of the valuer or surveyor.’

Judges:

Sir Thomas Bingham MR

Citations:

Times 24-Feb-1995, Gazette 22-Mar-1995, Times 21-Feb-1995, [1995] QB 375, [1995] 2 All ER 769

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

Appeal fromBanque Bruxelles Lambert Sa v Eagle Star Ins Co Ltd and Others QBD 7-Mar-1994
A negligent valuer was liable for the loss arising from an overvaluation, but the valuer was not liable for that proportion of the lender’s loss on the loan which was attributable to the fall in the market after the valuation date, even though (i) . .

Cited by:

Appeal fromSouth Australia Asset Management Corporation v York Montague Ltd etc HL 24-Jun-1996
Limits of Damages for Negligent Valuations
Damages for negligent valuations are limited to the foreseeable consequences of advice, and do not include losses arising from a general fall in values. Valuation is seldom an exact science, and within a band of figures valuers may differ without . .
CitedPaterson and Another v Humberside County Council QBD 19-Apr-1995
A local authority was liable for nuisance for damage (cracks to house) caused by tree roots once it could be shown that it knew of the soil condition, by virtue of the council’s own warnings to residents of the danger in the area meant that the . .
CitedHelmsley Acceptances Ltd v Hampton CA 11-Mar-2010
The claimant lender sought damages from an allegedly negligent valuation by the defendant. It had syndicated its loan, and the defendant now argued that it could only claim for that part of the loan for which it retained ownership.
Held: The . .
CitedDowns and Another v Chappell and Another CA 3-Apr-1996
The plaintiffs had suceeded in variously establishing claims in deceit and negligence, but now appealed against the finding that no damages had flowed from the wrongs. They had been sold a business on the basis of incorrect figures.
Held: . .
CitedBPE Solicitors and Another v Hughes-Holland (In Substitution for Gabriel) SC 22-Mar-2017
The court was asked what damages are recoverable in a case where (i) but for the negligence of a professional adviser his client would not have embarked on some course of action, but (ii) part or all of the loss which he suffered by doing so arose . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages, Professional Negligence

Updated: 21 July 2022; Ref: scu.78174

Cleese v Clark: QBD 2003

The court looked at the calculation of damages after an offer of amends under the Act by the defendant.
Held: Such calculations have to be linked to the very different circumstances of each case. Comparisons with awards after jury trial were unhepful: ‘I am not concerned with hypothesising as to what a particular group of 12 lay persons might have done, on the basis of what other groups of lay persons have done in the past’ and ‘I must also have an eye to the levels of compensation awarded in personal injury claims. That is in accordance with the modern practice and was only recognised as acceptable following the Court of Appeal’s decision in John v MGN Ltd [1997] Q.B. 586. It is important to realise that there have been relatively few jury awards over the intervening period. One needs naturally to put to one side some of the well known awards in earlier cases where juries were not invited to take such factors into account. There is, therefore, as we have been told more than once recently, a ‘new landscape’ and assessments have to be made without the baggage of that previous experience.’ He continued: ‘the amount of financial compensation is likely to be assessed partly be reference to the timing, scope and effectiveness of any apology made, or proffered, and it clearly makes sense for the two matters to be on the agenda for discussion at the same time.’
It is appropriate in defamation, as in other areas of the law, for a tortfeasor to ‘take his victim as he finds him’.

Judges:

Eady J

Citations:

[2004] EMLR 37, [2003] EWHC 137 (QB)

Statutes:

Defamation Act 1996 3(5)

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedJohn v MGN Ltd CA 12-Dec-1995
Defamation – Large Damages Awards
MGN appealed as to the level of damages awarded against it namely pounds 350,000 damages, comprising pounds 75,000 compensatory damages and pounds 275,000 exemplary damages. The newspaper contended that as a matter of principle there is no scope in . .

Cited by:

CitedNail v Jones, Harper Collins Publications Ltd; Nail v News Group Newspapers Ltd, Wade etc QBD 26-Mar-2004
The claimant was upset by an article published by the defendant making false allegations that he had behaved in a sexually profligate manner many years earlier. When it was substantially repeated he sued.
Held: The words were defamatory. An . .
CitedNail and Another v News Group Newspapers Ltd and others CA 20-Dec-2004
The claimant appealed the award of damages in his claim for defamation. The defendants had variously issued apologies. The claimant had not complained initially as to one publication.
Held: In defamation proceedings the damage to feelings is . .
CitedAdelson and Another v Associated Newspapers QBD 19-Feb-2008
Complaint was made that an article was defamatory of the owner of Manchester United. The defendant now argued that the game was not worth the candle. The costs vastly exceeded any possible recovery, and it had openly offered vindication, and that . .
CitedBowman v MGN Ltd QBD 26-Apr-2010
The claimant complained of an article on the defendant’s web-site. The defendant offered an unqualified offer of amends. The court was asked to settle an amount of compensation. Though the article was removed within a few hours and upon receipt of . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Defamation, Damages

Updated: 19 July 2022; Ref: scu.195004

Les Laboratoires Servier and Another v Apotex Inc and others: ChD 9 Oct 2008

The claimant had alleged that the defendant was producing generic drugs which infringed its rights in a new drug. The patentee had given a cross-undertaking in damages, but the patent was later ruled invalid. The court had to assess the damages to be ordered under the undertaking.
Held: The first issue was to establish the actual loss on a compensation not a punitive basis: ‘the award is of equitable compensation (not of damages strictly so called) and that there may be occasion to examine whether such equitable compensation should be fettered by rigid adherence to common law rules.’ and ‘whilst it is for Apotex to establish its loss by adducing the relevant evidence, I do not think I should be over eager in my scrutiny of that evidence or too ready to subject Apotex’ methodology to minute criticism. That is so for two reasons, quite apart from an acceptance of the proposition that the very nature of the exercise renders precision impossible.’ The reasons where that the party seeking the injunction had already stated that such a calculation could be made, and that the assessment is a liberal one, though falling short of punitive.

Judges:

Norris J

Citations:

[2008] EWHC 2347 (Ch), [2009] FSR 3

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedAmerican Cyanamid Co v Ethicon Ltd HL 5-Feb-1975
Interim Injunctions in Patents Cases
The plaintiffs brought proceedings for infringement of their patent. The proceedings were defended. The plaintiffs obtained an interim injunction to prevent the defendants infringing their patent, but they now appealed its discharge by the Court of . .
CitedSmithkline Beecham Plc and Another v Apotex Europe Ltd and others CA 14-Feb-2003
Patent infringement claim. . .
See AlsoLes Laboratoires Servier and Another v Apotex Inc and others CA 9-May-2008
Appeal against finding that patent was invalid for lack of novelty, but that if valid the defendant’s product would have infringed it. . .
CitedPozzoli Spa v BDMO Sa and Another CA 22-Jun-2007
The patentee had invented a method for storing CDs. The patentee sought leave to appeal a finding that its patent was invalid, and if successful, to appeal a finding that the defendant’s apparatus was not infringing.
Held: The application for . .
CitedSmith v Day 1882
. .
CitedChaplin v Hicks CA 1911
A woman who was wrongly deprived of the chance of being one of the winners in a beauty competition was awarded damages for loss of a chance. The court did not attempt to decide on balance of probability the hypothetical past event of what would have . .
CitedMallett v McMonagle HL 1970
The House discussed the role of the court in assessing future losses. Lord Diplock: ‘The role of the court in making an assessment of damages which depends upon its view as to what will be and what would have been is to be contrasted with its . .
CitedGeneral Tire v Firestone Tyre and Rubber Company Limited HL 1975
The object of damages is to compensate for loss or injury. The general rule for ‘economic’ torts is that the measure is that sum of money which will put the injured party in the same position as he would have been in if he had not sustained the . .
CitedMalmesbury and others v Strutt and Parker (A Partnership) and Another QBD 11-May-2007
. .
CitedKetteman v Hansel Properties Ltd HL 1987
Houses were built on defective foundations. The purchasers sued the builders and later the architects who designed them. The defendants argued that the houses were doomed from the start so that the cause of action accrued, not when the physical . .
CitedColumbia Pictures Industries Inc v Robinson ChD 1986
The plaintiff had obtained an Anton Piller order against a defendant whose business consisted almost entirely in the manufacture and sale of pirated videos.
Held: The injunction had been obtained for an improper purpose and without full . .

Cited by:

CitedSoutzos v Asombang and Others ChD 21-Jun-2011
The claimant had obtained a freezing order against the defendants. His claim having been dismissed, the court now considered if and what damages should be paid under the cross-undertaking he had given.
Held: Setting out and applying the . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Intellectual Property, Damages

Updated: 19 July 2022; Ref: scu.276791

Yarl’s Wood Immigration Ltd and others v Bedfordshire Police Authority: ComC 30 Sep 2008

The owners of the Yarslwood Immigration centre sought damages under the 1886 Act after a riot at the centre caused substantial damage.
Held: The claim failed: ‘The fact that YWIL and GSL [the appellants] were acting as public authorities exercising coercive powers of the state in carrying out its public function in respect of the Yarl’s Wood immigration detention centre does not per se put them outside the scope of the 1886 Act. However, the fact that they are entities with public law powers and duties for order within the detention centre means that, in respect of loss suffered from riot damage caused by detainees within the centre, they are not qualifying persons within the 1886 Act. The 1886 Act and its predecessors imposed a statutory duty to compensate on those responsible for law and order in a given area. The intention behind the legislation was that local property owners should be entitled to obtain compensation from the body with responsibility for protecting them from the risk of riot. It was not to enable a public authority with a particular responsibility for order within a defined area to seek compensation from another public authority with a broadly equivalent, but not identical, responsibility for order in that area.’
Rix LJ described the rationalisation of the liability of the hundred and now the police authority in these terms: ‘It seems to me that what Lord Mansfield had to say about that question, so much closer to the origin of the first Riot Act 1714, still retains pertinence, expressing as it does the common sense of the matter. It is for the sake of the party whose property has been damaged, it is to encourage the inhabitants (now the police force) of the locality, but including the party injured himself, all to assist in the preservation of the peace, it is to share the burden both of keeping the peace and of the misfortune of loss or injury. Moreover, as is so often the case with strict liability, it is because those who are liable to compensate are also regarded by the law as standing in the shoes of the wrongdoers themselves (as, for instance, in the case of the vicariously liable), in part because their obligation, their strict obligation, is to prevent what has happened happening.’

Judges:

Beatson J

Citations:

[2008] EWHC 2207 (Comm), [2009] 1 All ER 886, (2008) 158 NLJ 1415

Links:

Bailii

Statutes:

Riot (Damages) Act 1886

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

See AlsoBedfordshire Police Authority v Constable and others ComC 20-Jun-2008
The authority insured its primary liability for compensation under the 1886 Act through the claimants and the excess of liability through re-insurers. The parties sought clarification from the court of the respective liabilities of the insurance . .

Cited by:

Appeal fromYarl’s Wood Immigration Ltd and Others v Bedfordshire Police Authority CA 23-Oct-2009
The claimant sought to recover the costs of damage to their centre following a riot, saying that under the 1886 Act, they were liable. It appealed against a ruling that they were unable to claim as a public authority, saying that the 1886 Act was . .
See AlsoBedfordshire Police Authority v Constable CA 12-Feb-2009
The police had responded to a riot at Yarlswood detention centre. They had insurance to cover their liability under the 1886 Act, but the re-insurers said that the insurance did not cover the event, saying that the liability was for statutory . .
CitedThe Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime v Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co (Europe) Ltd and Others SC 20-Apr-2016
The Court considered the quantification of damages to be awarded to a business suffering under riots under the 1886 Act, and in particular whether such recoverable losses included compensation for consequential losses, including loss of profits and . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Police, Damages

Updated: 19 July 2022; Ref: scu.276537

Clibery, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department: Admn 30 Jul 2007

The claimant sought judicial review of a decision of the Home Secretary, to refuse his application for compensation. He had first been convicted and imprisoned and then had his conviction quashed. The respondent did not think that the conviction was quashed for some new fact discovered demonstrating innocence. The claimant victim had been shown later to have lied repeatedly on related matters and to the extent that her evidence was unreliable.
Held: The appeal failed. The claimant had not brought the case within the necessary conditions for a miscarriage of justice.

Judges:

Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers CJ

Citations:

[2007] EWHC 1855 (Admin)

Links:

Bailii

Statutes:

Criminal Justice Act 1988 122

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedRegina v Makanjuola CACD 17-May-1995
Guidance was given on the directions to be given to the jury where a co-accused speaks for prosecution as a witness and in sexual assault cases. The full corroboration warning is not now needed; the Judge may use his own discretion, and may give a . .
CitedRegina (Murphy) v Secretary of State for the Home Department; Regina (Brannan) v Same Admn 10-Feb-2005
The appellants sought compensation for their imprisonment having been (Mr Brannan’s father) wrongly convicted. They sought to bring in new evidence. The first appellant and the second appellant’s father had been convicted of murder. The second . .
CitedMullen, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department HL 29-Apr-2004
The claimant had been imprisoned, but his conviction was later overturned. He had been a victim of a gross abuse of executive power. The British authorities had acted in breach of international law and had been guilty of ‘a blatant and extremely . .

Cited by:

CitedSiddall, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for Justice Admn 16-Mar-2009
The claimant had been imprisoned then released after his conviction for sexual assaults. He appealed against rejection of his claim for compensation. The criterion for compensation was demonstrating that something had ‘gone seriously wrong in the . .
CitedAdams, Regina (on The Application of) v Secretary of State for Justice SC 11-May-2011
The three claimants had each been convicted of murders and served time. Their convictions had been reversed eventually, and they now appealed against the refusal of compensation for imprisonment, saying that there had been a miscarriage of justice. . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Criminal Practice, Damages

Updated: 18 July 2022; Ref: scu.271164

British Sugar Plc v NEI Power Projects Ltd and Another: QBD 21 Feb 1997

The parties had contracted for the design delivery and installation of electrical equipment. The claimant said that the defects in it led to losses. The defendant said that they were not liable for the losses which were consequentional and excluded by the contract.
Held: Words seeking to place a limitation on liability for damages in relation to ‘consequential loss’ did not apply to loss flowing directly and naturally from a breach.

Judges:

Alliott J

Citations:

Times 21-Feb-1997

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

Appeal fromBritish Sugar Plc v NEI Power Projects Limited and Anr CA 8-Oct-1997
The plaintiffs contracted for the delivery and installation of equipment by the defendant. After delays and defects the claimants sought damages. The defendants said that the contract provided that any liabiity for consequential losses was to be . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Damages, Contract

Updated: 17 July 2022; Ref: scu.78636

Ferryways Nv v Associated British Ports: ComC 14 Feb 2008

The court considered the effect of an exclusion from liability reading: ‘Exclusion and Limitations of Liability . . (c) Where the Company is in breach of its obligations in respect of the Services or under any Contract or any duties it may have as bailee of the Goods it shall have no liability to the Customer in contract, tort, negligence, breach of statutory duty or otherwise for any loss, damage, costs or expenses of any nature whatsoever incurred or suffered by the Customer which is of an indirect or consequential nature including without limitation the following:
(i) loss or deferment of profit;
(ii) loss or deferment of revenue;
(iii) loss of goodwill;
(iv) loss of business;
(v) loss or deferment of production or increased costs of production;
(vi) the liabilities of the Customer to any other party.’
Held: Where a party seeks to protect himself from liability for losses otherwise recoverable by law for breach of contract he must do so by clear and unambiguous language. Clause 9(c) provides that liability for such losses as are ‘of an indirect or consequential nature’ is excluded. In the light of the well-recognised meaning which has been accorded to such words in a variety of exemption clauses by the courts from 1934 to 1999 it would require very clear words indeed to indicate that the parties’ intentions when using such words was to exclude losses which fall outside that well-recognised meaning. This is particularly so when ‘indirect’ is used as well as ‘consequential’. The use of ‘indirect’ draws an implicit distinction with direct losses. The meaning which has been given to direct losses in the cases which I have mentioned is ‘loss which flows naturally from the breach without other intervening cause and independently of special circumstances’ (per Atkinson J in Saint Line[3] at page 103). By contrast, indirect or consequential losses are losses which are not the direct and natural result of the breach (per Atkinson J in Saint Line at page 104).
The important question therefore is whether the words in clause 9 ‘including without limitation the following’ indicate clearly that the parties were giving their own definition of indirect or consequential losses so as to include the specified losses even if they are the direct and natural result of the breach in question. In my judgment those words do not provide the sort of clear indication which is necessary for the defendant’s argument. The parties are merely identifying the type of losses (without limitation) which can fall within the exemption clause so long as the losses meet the prior requirement that they are ‘of an indirect or consequential nature’. Had the parties intended that liability for losses which were the direct and natural result of the breach could be excluded they would have hardly have described such losses as ‘indirect or consequential’.

Citations:

[2008] EWHC 225 (Comm), [2008] 1 Lloyds Rep 639

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

CitedMarkerstudy Insurance Company Ltd and Others v Endsleigh Insurance Services Ltd ComC 18-Feb-2010
The claimant insurers alleged the mishandling of insurance claims by the defendant of many claims leading to substantial losses. The parties asked the court to determine a basis for calculation of damages under the contract.
Held: A similar . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Personal Injury, Damages

Updated: 13 July 2022; Ref: scu.264525