Nervous shock

Part of a series on common law
English tort law
Negligence
Acts of the claimant Bolam test Breach of duty Breaking the chain Causation Duty of care Eggshell skull Loss of chance Loss of right Professional negligence Psychiatric harm Remoteness Res ipsa loquitur
Trespass
Occupiers' liability
Occupiers' Liability Act 1957 Occupiers' Liability Act 1984
Defamation
Strict liability
Rylands v Fletcher Vicarious liability
Nuisance
v t e

In English law, a nervous shock is a psychiatric / mental illness or injury inflicted upon a person by intentional or negligent actions or omissions of another. Often it is a psychiatric disorder triggered by witnessing an accident, for example an injury caused to one's parents or spouse. Although the term "nervous shock" has been described as "inaccurate" and "misleading",^[1] it continues to be applied as a useful abbreviation for a complex concept. The possibility of recovering damages for nervous shock, particularly caused by negligence, is strongly limited in English law.