A rescuer can be compensated for psychiatric harm.

Mr Chadwick (the plaintiff) lived 200 yards from the train crash site in Lewisham in which 90 people died and many more were injured. Mr Chadwick spent many hours of the night crawling under the wreckage to help and comfort the victims of the crash.

Mr Chadwick later suffered from acute anxiety neurosis as a result of what he had witnessed and received hospital treatment for it.

Held:

The defendant, the British Railway Board, owed Mr Chadwick, the plaintiff, a duty of care as it was reasonably foreseeable that in the event of such accident someone might try to rescue the passengers and consequently suffer injury in the process.