McFarlane v. E.E. Caledonian Limited [1994] 2 All ER 1

An oil worker, the claimant, claimed damages for psychiatric injury, after witnessing the destruction caused by a fire on an oil rig from his workplace on a support boat 100 metres away.  The fire killed 164 men although the claimant was uninjured.  It was held that the claimant was owed a duty of care on the ground that he was a participant in an event and had reasonable been in fear for his life and safety and the impact of the events had caused shock.  The defendants appealed.  Held, that the claimant was entitled to damages because he was more than a mere bystander to the event.

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