Junior Books Ltd v Veitchi Co Ltd

Junior Books Ltd v Veitchi Co Ltd [1983] 1 AC 520 was a House of Lords judgment on whether a duty of care in tort exists between a contractor or sub-contractor and an employer.

Facts

Veitchi was a special nominated subcontractor employed to lay flooring at Junior Books' factory. The floor was defective but as there was only a contract between Junior Books and the main contractor there was no relationship in contract through which Junior Books could sue Veitchi, the subcontractor. Therefore, Junior Books was forced to bring an action in tort, arguing that Veitchi owed Junior Books a non-contractual duty of care.

Judgment

The House of Lords ruled that there was a sufficient degree of proximity between the parties to allow Junior Books to sue in tort.

See also

• Pure economic loss in English Law

References

Law of the United Kingdom Common fields Constitutional law Civil liberties Company and insolvency law Competition law Labour law Commercial law European Union law Parallel fields Scots delict and English tort law Scots and English contract law Scots and English land law Trusts Scots and English administrative law Scots and English criminal law Scots and English family law Scots and English civil procedure Related systems English law Northern Ireland law Scots law Welsh law Law of the British Virgin Islands Law of Australia Law of Canada Law of India Law of New Zealand Law of the United States Anglo-Saxon law Law of Hong Kong Common law Equity English case law See also Legal services in the United Kingdom United Kingdom law category