U22105 Tort Semester 1 Week 8 Vicarious Liability Lecture Handout 2013 2014

LECTURE: VICARIOUS LIABILITY

LIABILITY FOR INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS

A person hiring an independent contractor may be liable for the negligence of the independent contractor in carrying out extra-hazardous or dangerous operations where the activities were exceptionally dangerous whatever precautions were taken.

Honeywill & Stein-v-Larkin Brothers [1934] 1 KB 191
Balfour-v-Barty-King [1957] 1 QB 496, [1957] 1 All ER 156
Biffa-v-Maschinenfabrik Ernste Hese [2008] EWCA Civ 1257, [2009] 3 WLR 324

EMPLOYERS’ VICARIOUS LIABILITY FOR EMPLOYEES

Liability for torts committed by employees in the course of their employment.

EMPLOYMENT STATUS

Note the approach taken by the court in establishing a person’s employment status.

Ready Mixed Concrete Ltd-v-Minister of Pensions [1968] 2 QB 497
Hall-v-Lorimer [1994] 1 All ER 250
Protectacoat Firthglow-v-Szilagyi [2009] EWCA Civ 98, [2009] ICR 835
Autoclenz-v-Belcher [2011] UKSC 41, [2011] WLR (D) 255
Cassidy-v-Ministry of Health [1951] KB 343
Mersey Docks and Harbour Board-v-Coggins & Griffiths [1947] AC 1, HL
Montgomery-v-Johnson Underwood [2001] ICR 819, [2001] IRLR 269
Stevenson Jordan & Harrison Ltd-v-McDonald & Evans [1969] 2 QB 173
Dacas-v-Brook Street Bureau [2004] EWCA Civ 217, [2004] ICR 1437
Cable & Wireless-v-Muscat [2006] EWCA Civ 220, [2006] ICR 975
Wilson-v-Circular Distributions [2006] IRLR 38, [2006] All ER (D) 50 (Feb)
James-v-LB of Greenwich [2008] EWCA Civ 35, [2008] ICR 545
Kalwak-v-Consistent Group [2008] EWCA Civ 430, [2008] IRLR 505
E-v-Portsmouth Roman Catholic Diocesan Trust [2012] EWCA Civ 938

TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES

Mersey Docks and Harbour Board-v-Coggins & Griffiths [1947] AC 1, HL
Viasystems-v-Thermal Transfer [2005] EWCA Civ 1151, [2006] 2 WLR 428
Hawley-v-Luminar Leisure [2006] EWCA Civ 18, [2006] PIQR P17
Biffa-v-Maschinenfabrik Ernste Hese [2008] EWCA Civ 1257, [2009] 3 WLR 324

ACTING IN THE COURSE OF EMPLOYMENT

Employers