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04 November 2011 / Lucy Wyles
Issue: 7488 / Categories: Features , Personal injury
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Leap of faith

Lucy Wyles dives headfirst into the latest personal injury developments

As Mrs Justice Thirlwall DBE stated in a recent case, there is always risk in swimming and diving, in any pool. It is a sad fact that swimming and diving accidents can result in catastrophic injuries.

Doubtless as a consequence of this, the common law case law is peppered with seminal cases arising from swimming or diving accidents—examples include Tomlinson v Congleton Borough Council [2003] UKHL 47, [2003] 3 All ER 1122 on occupiers’ liability, Evans v Kosmar Village Holidays [2007] EWCA Civ 1003, [2008] 1 All ER 530 on the duties of a tour operator and Owusu v Jackson [2005] QB 801, [2005] 2 All ER (Comm) 577 on jurisdiction.

This article will examine two recent High Court decisions which follow this trend, in that they arose from such accidents, and in which fundamental principles of liability were considered. Both concerned the confines of the duty of care owed to a pool-user.

Grimes v Hawkins

The case of Grimes v Hawkins

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Partner joins commercial property team in Taunton office

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Londstanding London firm appoints new senior partner

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Commercial team in London welcomes technology specialist as partner

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