Palsgraf v. Long Island R.R.
Court of Appeals of New York
162 N.E. 99 (N.Y. 1928)
Relevant factsFree
As railroad (defendant) employees helped a man carrying an unmarked package board a departing train, he dropped the package, which turned out to contain fireworks that exploded, dislodging scales at the far end of the platform that struck and injured Palsgraf (plaintiff), who was standing well away from the incident; nothing about the package's appearance suggested it was dangerous. Palsgraf won at trial and on the first appeal, and the railroad appealed further.
IssueFree
Whether a defendant owes a duty of care to a plaintiff who is not within the zone of reasonably foreseeable harm resulting from the defendant's actions.