This new fourth edition of Tort Law has been completely revised and updated to take account of developments since the last edition a new section on vicarious liability has been added. The principal aim of this text is to provide a modern and accessible presentation of the law for students taking degrees at universities and colleges. At the same time the book does not seek to conceal the dynamic conceptual nature of tort law, nor its links with social and commercial policy. The increasingly important relationships between the concepts underlying tortious liability and those underlying liability in contract and restitution are brought out and historical and economic perspectives are, wherever possible, integrated into the analysis of doctrine. The impact of insurance, the interrelationship of damages awards with the tax and social security systems and the emergence of structured settlements are accordingly given prominent coverage. More generally there is an acknowledgement that legislative policy plays a central part in shaping the development of the modern law.