Abstract
In recent years many common law jurisdictions in the United States, Australia and Canada have passed legislation protecting apologies from civil liability (mostly negligence). § 2 of the Compensation Act 2006 (UK) is one of the more recent provisions. It applies in England and Wales but not to Scotland. It also differs significantly from other such provisions. This article explores what lessons can be learned about the likely impact of § 2 from the experience in other countries and the literature on apology, whether the legislation is likely to have an effect on the propensity to sue and whether the fact that it does not apply in Scotland will create a significant difference between that jurisdiction and England and Wales in respect of approaches to civil liability.
Disciplines
Injury and Tort Law
Date of this Version
October 2007
Recommended Citation
Prue Vines, "Apologies and Civil Liability in England, Wales and Scotland: The View from Elsewhere" (October 2007). University of New South Wales Faculty of Law Research Series. Working Paper 61.
http://law.bepress.com/unswwps-flrps/art61
Comments
This paper will appear in the Edinburgh Law Review (forthcoming). This paper may also be referenced as [2007] UNSWLRS 61.