Van Soest v Residual Health Management Unit

Van Soest v Residual Health Management Unit [2001] 1 NZLR 179 is a cited case in New Zealand regarding nervous shock cases .[1]

Van Soest v Residual Health Management Unit
CourtCourt of Appeal of New Zealand
Full case name J&P Van Soest v Residual Health Management Unit and K Ramstead
Decided27 September 1999
Citation[2001] 1 NZLR 179
TranscriptCourt of Appeal judgment
Court membership
Judges sittingGault J, Thomas J, Henry J, Keith J, Blanchard J
Keywords
negligence

Background

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This case involves relatives of patients that died during surgery under surgeon Keith Ramstead at Christchurch Hospital.

The relatives sued the Residual Health Management in tort for the nervous shock that they suffered as a result of having a relative die.

Held

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The Court of Appeal rejected the relatives claim, as they were only claiming they suffered grief, holding that they law required a higher standard for a nervous shock case to be successful.

References

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  1. ^ McLay, Geoff (2003). Butterworths Student Companion Torts (4th ed.). LexisNexis. ISBN 0-408-71686-X.