Larson v. St. Francis Hotel
District Court of Appeal of California
188 P.2d 513 (Cal. App. 1948)
Relevant factsFree
Larson (plaintiff) was struck on the head by an armchair falling from the St. Francis Hotel (defendant) while walking on the street outside, and sued for negligence offering no evidence beyond the fact of being struck; the trial court granted a nonsuit, and Larson appealed, relying solely on res ipsa loquitur.
IssueFree
Whether a defendant is negligent under the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur if the incident in question could be attributable to one of several causes, one of which is not the responsibility of the defendant.