Chapman v Rix

(1994) 5 Med LR 239

HOUSE OF LORDS

Lord KEITH of Avonholm, Lord GODDARD, Lord MORTON of Henryton, Lord DENNING, and Lord HODSON

Professional liability — General practitioner — Communication — Opinion that accidental knife wound to abdomen was superficial — Doctor having in mind minute possibility of penetration and necessity for patient to be kept under observation — Failure to communicate directly with patient's own doctor — Failure to warn of possibility that wound had penetrated abdominal cavity — Whether doctor should have foreseen that patient's doctor might be misled