How shocking: compensating secondary victims for psychiatric injury

  • Rix K
  • Cory-Wright C
0Citations
Citations of this article
15Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Abstract

When those whom the law terms ‘secondary victims’ – i.e. the passive and unwilling witnesses of injury, or of the threat of it, to others – seek compensation through the courts for the psychiatric injuries that they have suffered (traditionally but confusingly referred to as ‘nervous shock’ claims), there would in theory be the potential for a virtually limitless number of claims. For this reason, the courts have developed and apply a number of, to a large extent, arbitrary ‘control mechanisms’ as floodgates. This article describes these control mechanisms and other relevant law using recent illustrative cases and with particular reference to the assistance that the courts can expect of psychiatrists as to diagnosis and causation.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Rix, K., & Cory-Wright, C. (2018). How shocking: compensating secondary victims for psychiatric injury. BJPsych Advances, 24(2), 110–122. https://doi.org/10.1192/bja.2017.16

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free