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United Kingdom Leading Case pure economic lossduty of careprofessional negligence

Hedley Byrne and Co Ltd v Heller and Partners Ltd

[1964] AC 465
JurisdictionUnited Kingdom
CourtUK House of Lords
Year1964
StatusBinding authority

Summary

A duty of care arises for negligent misstatement causing pure economic loss where the defendant assumes responsibility to a claimant who reasonably relies on the statement.

Key Principle

duty of care for negligent misstatement causing economic loss; assumption of responsibility

Area of Law

Tort — Duty of Care

Related Cases

Robinson v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police [2018] UKSC 4

Established duty of care categories apply directly; Caparo three-stage test is reserved for genuinely novel situations only.

Henderson v Merrett Syndicates Ltd [1995] 2 AC 145

A professional who assumes responsibility for another's affairs owes a Hedley Byrne duty of care in tort for pure economic loss, concurrent with any contractual duty.

Murphy v Brentwood District Council [1991] 1 AC 398

No duty of care in negligence for pure economic loss caused by defective buildings; expressly overruled Anns v Merton LBC.

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