Graham (ap) v. East of Scotland Water Authority [2002] ScotCS 30 (1st February, 2002)

Graham (ap) v. East of Scotland Water Authority [2002] ScotCS 30 (1st February, 2002)

The alleged danger was a permanent, obvious, and familiar feature of the landscape, and thus no duty to fence arose in law; further, the pursuer's pleadings failed to establish any causal connection between the defenders' alleged breach and the accident.

Citation
[2002] ScotCS 30
Parties
Pursuer: Lynne Patricia Graham; Defender: East of Scotland Water Authority
Jurisdiction
Scotland
Procedural Posture
Civil Damages (occupiers' Liability) / Procedure Roll Debate on Relevancy (motion to Dismiss)
Outcome
Action dismissed as irrelevant
Legal Topics
Duty of Care of Occupiers, Obvious Dangers, Causation, Artificial Vs Natural Features, Relevancy of Pleadings

Case Brief

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Parties

Lynne Patricia Graham

Pursuer

East of Scotland Water Authority

Defender

Procedural Posture

Civil Damages (occupiers' Liability) / Procedure Roll Debate on Relevancy (motion to Dismiss)

  1. 1 Whether occupiers owe a duty to fence obvious, permanent, and familiar features of land such as reservoirs and walls
  2. 2 Whether the pursuer's pleadings establish a relevant case on causation between the alleged danger and the accident

Ratio Decidendi

The alleged danger was a permanent, obvious, and familiar feature of the landscape, and thus no duty to fence arose in law; further, the pursuer's pleadings failed to establish any causal connection between the defenders' alleged breach and the accident.

Court Disposition

Action dismissed as irrelevant

Orders

  • Defenders' first plea-in-law sustained
  • Action dismissed