The fifth edition of Markesinis and Deakin's Tort Law has been fully revised and updated to cover all important developments which have occurred in this field since the previous edition appeared in 1999. The structure of the book remains the same as in previous editions, as has its underlying philosophy - to provide a good general overview of the law of tort for students and their lecturers which will also be of interest to practitioners and judges in the field. The book includes discussion of much new material, including important appellate court decisions on wrongful birth, defamation, privacy, nuisance, the liability of public authorities, causation and many others; the growing impact of the Human Rights Act upon tort law, including discussion of many important cases decided since the Act came into force; important recent legislative developments, including the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999. Throughout the book the relationship between the common law and legislative policy is a key theme, while economic and comparative analysis of the cases and issues are used where appropriate.