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On appeal from: [2017] EWCA Civ 314

 

Considers liability and damages where the appellant solicitor negligently failed to advise a client of a potential claim against a third party. Held: allowing the appeal, loss of chance damages have been developed by the courts to deal with the difficulties arising from the assessment of counter-factual and future events. In both types of situation, the courts at times depart from the ordinary burden on a claimant to prove the facts required for a successful claim on the balance of probabilities. However, this does not mean that the basic requirement that a negligence claim requires proof that loss has been caused by the breach of duty is abandoned. Applying this approach, the respondent needed to prove that, properly advised, he would have made a claim within time. Further, the judge was correct to impose the additional requirement of the claim having to be an honest claim.

For judgment, please download: [2019] UKSC 5
For Court’s Press Summary, please download: Court’s Press Summary
For a non-PDF version of the judgment, please visit: BAILII

To watch the hearing, please visit: Supreme Court Website (27 Nov 2018 morning session) (27 Nov 2018 afternoon session)