Court of Appeal gives guidance on vicarious liability of employers for workplace assaults

Tim Meakin represented one of  two appellants in linked appeals where the Court of Appeal considered the ambit of the vicarious liability of employers on workplace assaults (Weddall v Barchester Health Ltd and Wallbank v WallbankLimited [2012] EWCA Civ 25).

The implications of the judgment are potentially far-reaching in that the Court of Appeal, whilst ostensibly laying down no new principle, found in favour of a claimant assaulted by a colleague in an altercation in the workplace. This decision arguably extends the scope of vicarious liability based on the "close connection with employment" test set down in Lister v Hesley Hall [2001] UKHL 22. The decision  will be of interest to both personal injury and employment law practitioners.

You can read the full judgment here.