NEGLIGENCE \u2013 EMPLOYER DUTY OF CARE \u2013 PSYCHIATRIC DAMAGE \u2013 PRIMARY VICTIM<\/strong><\/p>\nFacts<\/h3>\n
The claimant (C) was a crane operator working for the defendant (D). C was loading cargo from a quay onto a ship when the rope carrying the load snapped. The load fell into the hold of the ship, where C knew other workers were standing. Nobody was injured, though C suffered nervous shock as a result of what seeing what he believed to be the death or serious injury of some of his co-workers. The trauma of the event aggravated C\u2019s pre-existing neurasthenia and, as a result, he could not return to work as a crane operator. C brought an action in negligence against D, seeking damages for psychiatric injury.<\/p>\n
Issue<\/h3>\n
Whether D owed a duty of care to take reasonable steps in safeguarding their employees from the risk of nervous injury, as well as physical injury.<\/p>\n
Decision\/Outcome<\/h3>\n
The application for a declaration was dismissed. Parental rights, as such, did not exist, except insofar as necessary to safeguard the best interests of a minor. In some circumstances, a minor would be able to give consent in their own right, without the knowledge or approval of their parents. The test proposed by Lord Scarman posits that a minor will be able to consent to treatment if they demonstrate \u201csufficient understanding and intelligence to understand fully what is proposed\u201d ([1986] AC 112, 187[D]). The test is now often referred to as \u2018Gillick<\/em><\/strong> competence\u2019 and is an integral aspect of medical and family law.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The claimant (C) was a crane operator working for the defendant (D). C was loading cargo from a quay onto a ship when the rope carrying the load snapped.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[85],"class_list":["post-6236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cases","tag-uk-law"],"yoast_head":"\n
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