Liability for psychiatric injury : Liability for causing a person to suffer nervous shock can be traced back to (1901) The plaintiff was a pregnant barmaid who suffered serious shock when the defendant’s horses were negligently driven into the public house where she was working. As a result her child was born

doi:10.4324/9781843140504-79

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ABSTRACT

The case contained two limitations on liability that have been largely maintained: (a) the claimant was in fear of suffering physical injury; and (b) the injury was suffered in the form of shock, that is, the injury was what is today known as post-traumatic stress disorder. Neither of these two limitations are rigidly observed in employment related cases today.