Table Of ContentSEVENTH EDITION SEVENTH C ASE
Tort Law EDITION
T
Catherine Elliott & Frances Quinn R
o N O
AVIG A T
The bestselling Elliott and Quinn series of law textbooks includes reliable
POWERED BY
and concise texts on Criminal Law, Contract Law, Tort Law and the
English Legal System. The authors draw on their extensive experience to r
bring an unbeatable combination of authority, readability and clarity
t
to this series of student-friendly texts. Written in a lively and engaging
style, each book:
● explains the relevant law logically and clearly
● helps students to succeed in assessments and improve their legal L
skills
● looks at the context of law-making and its future direction
a
This text is supported by mylawchamber
which includes: Tort law is a wide-ranging and often complex subject, which can
be diffi cult to grasp for the newcomer. Elliott and Quinn’s Tort Law
For students: regular case and legislation clarifi es the essential concepts behind the law, making it easier for
updates, web-links, interactive self-test w
you to understand and apply the legal rules. The book sets each tort
questions, key term fl ashcards and a
glossary. in its social context, so that you can easily understand when and why
claims might be brought, and then offers a clear, systematic and
For lecturers: a testbank of multiple choice
detailed explanation of the rules relating to each tort. Each chapter
questions that can be used to assess
students’ progress. also includes discussion of problems with the current law, helping you
to develop a critical and analytical approach. Through reference to
All located at:
topical cases and issues, the authors show that tort law is interesting
www.mylawchamber.co.uk/elliottquinntort
and relevant to today’s society.
CASE
NEW TO THIS EDITION
NAVIGATOR POWERED BY ● Lrueliandgisng case boxes help you identify and remember key cases and
Visit www.pearsoned.co.uk/casenavigator ● Chapter introductions identify core themes and concepts to
for unique online support that helps remember
improve case reading and analysis skills in ● Law in the news boxes help to put legal concepts into context and
tort law.
improve understanding
The LexisNexis element of Case Navigator is only
available to those who currently subscribe to ● Analysis and explanation of the impact of numerous, recently
LexisNexis Butterworths services.
decided cases including:
• Rothwell v Chemical and Insulating Co Ltd on damage in
negligence E
l
ABOUT THE AUTHORS • Daw v Intel Corporation on workplace stress lio
• Burstein v Associated Newspapers on defamation
Catherine Elliott is a qualifi ed Barrister and t
• A v Hoare on limitation periods t
Lecturer in Law at City University. She has • Corr v IBC on causation &
extensive experience of teaching law. SEVENTH EDITION
• Van Colle v Chief Constable of Hertfordshire on police liability to
Q
Tort Law
crime victims
Frances Quinn is an award-winning journalist, u
• Mosley v News Group Ltd on privacy
with a particular interest and experience in law. in
n
Catherine Elliott & Frances Quinn
www.pearson-books.com Elliott & Quinn Series
Cover © Getty Images
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Tort Law
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77tthh
Tort Law
eeddiittiioonn
Catherine Elliott and
Frances Quinn
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Pearson Education Limited
Edinburgh Gate
Harlow
Essex CM20 2JE
England
and Associated Companies throughout the world
Visit us on the World Wide Web at:
www.pearsoned.co.uk
First published 1996
Second edition published 1999
Third edition published 2001
Fourth edition published 2003
Fifth edition published 2005
Sixth edition published 2007
Seventh edition published 2009
© Pearson Education Limited 1996, 2009
The rights of Catherine Elliott and Frances Quinn to be identified as authors of this work have
been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without either the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting
restricted copying in the United Kingdom issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd,
Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS.
Crown Copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery
Office (HMSO) and the Queens’ Printer for Scotland.
Law Commission Reports are reproduced under the terms of the Click-use Licence.
All trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners. The use of any trademark
in this text does not vest in the author or publisher any trademark ownership rights in such
trademarks, nor does the use of such trademarks imply any affiliation with or endorsement of this
book by such owners.
ISBN: 978-1-4058-9933-8
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Elliott, Catherine, 1966–
Tort law / Catherine Elliott and Frances Quinn. – 7th ed.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-4058-9933-8 (pbk.)
1. Torts–England. I. Quinn, Frances. II. Title.
KD1949.E44 2009
346.4203—dc22
2009003486
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
13 12 11 10 09
Typeset in 9.5/13pt Stone Sans by 35
Printed and bound in Great Britain by Henry Ling Ltd, Dorchester, Dorset
The publisher’s policy is to use paper manufactured from sustainable forests.
A01_ELLI9338_07_SE_FM.QXD 4/28/09 11:12 AM Page v
Brief contents
Guided tour xiv
Preface xvii
Table of cases xix
Tables of statutes, statutory instruments and European legislation xxxiii
1 Tort law: an introduction 1
2 Negligence 17
3 Employers’ liability 146
4 Occupiers’ liability 161
5 Product liability 179
6 Breach of statutory duty 204
7 Deceit 216
8 Defamation 225
9 Privacy 263
10 Nuisance 280
11 The rule in Rylands v Fletcher 305
12 Trespass 317
13 Liability for animals 353
14 Joint and several liability 366
15 Vicarious liability 372
16 Remedies in tort 391
Appendix: Answering examination questions 418
Glossary 423
Index 429
v
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Contents
Guided tour xiv
Preface xvii
Table of cases xix
Tables of statutes, statutory instruments and European legislation xxxiii
1 Tort law: an introduction 1
Comparing tort with other legal wrongs 2
The role of policy 3
Tort and the requirement of fault 4
Reasons for a requirement of fault 6
Arguments against a requirement of fault 7
Alternative methods of compensation for personal injury 8
Reform of the tort system 12
Answering questions 14
Summary of Chapter 1 14
Reading list 15
Reading on the Internet 16
2 Negligence 17
The duty of care 18
Development of the duty of care 19
Duties of care: the Caparotest 23
Duties of care: pure economic loss 27
Duties of care: psychiatric injury or ‘nervous shock’ 42
Duties of care: omissions 59
Duties of care: liability for the acts of third parties 61
Duties of care: special groups 64
Breach of a duty of care 82
The standard of reasonableness 83
Damage 96
Causation 99
The ‘but for’ test 99
Multiple causes 101
Intervening events 107
vii
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Contents
Remoteness of damage 109
The tests for remoteness 109
Proving negligence 114
Defences 116
Contributory negligence 116
Volenti non fit injuria (consent) 119
Illegality 123
Statutory authority 125
Inapplicable defences 125
Time limits 126
Personal injury cases 128
Reform of limitation periods 131
Criticisms of negligence law 132
Compensating victims of harm 132
Marking fault 134
Deterring carelessness 135
Spreading risk 136
Individualism and negligence 136
An economic solution? 137
Answering questions 137
Summary of Chapter 2 140
Reading list 143
Reading on the Internet 144
3 Employers’ liability 146
The employer’s personal duty 147
Types of harm 151
The scope of the employer’s duty 156
Defences 158
Answering questions 158
Summary of Chapter 3 159
Reading list 160
Reading on the Internet 160
4 Occupiers’ liability 161
Who is an occupier? 162
What must they occupy? 163
Liability to visitors: Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 163
Defences under the 1957 Act 168
Liability to trespassers: Occupiers’ Liability Act 1984 170
Defences under the 1984 Act 174
Answering questions 176
Summary of Chapter 4 177
viii
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Contents
Reading list 178
Reading on the Internet 178
5 Product liability 179
Product liability in contract 180
Product liability in tort 182
The Consumer Protection Act 1987 188
Other remedies for defective products 199
Answering questions 200
Summary of Chapter 5 201
Reading list 203
Reading on the Internet 203
6 Breach of statutory duty 204
Scope of the tort 205
Elements of the tort 209
Defences 212
Problems with statutory torts 212
Breach of EU legislation 213
Answering questions 213
Summary of Chapter 6 213
Reading list 214
Reading on the Internet 214
7 Deceit 216
Elements of the tort 217
Answering questions 222
Summary of Chapter 7 223
Reading list 224
Reading on the Internet 224
8 Defamation 225
Elements of defamation 226
Parties to a defamation action 234
Defences 235
Procedural issues 250
Remedies for defamation 250
Issues in defamation 253
Answering questions 257
Summary of Chapter 8 258
ix
