A secondary victim is a person who suffers nervous shock without himself being exposed to danger. An example of this is a spectator at a car race, who witnesses a fatal crash caused by negligence on the part of the car manufacturers and develops a nervous illness because involved in the crash is her husband.
A secondary victim must witness a shocking event, the shock must be sudden and the incident must involve someone with whom he has a relationship that can be described as a close tie of love and affection.