Ryan v. New York Central R.R.
New York Court of Appeals
35 N.Y. 210 (1866)
Relevant factsFree
New York Central R.R. (railroad) (defendant) negligently set fire to one of its woodsheds, destroying the shed and the wood inside; the fire then spread and destroyed Ryan's (plaintiff) nearby house, along with other neighboring houses. Ryan sued the railroad for negligence, but the trial court granted a nonsuit, and Ryan appealed.
IssueFree
Whether a person found negligent is liable in damages not only for the proximate results of his own acts, but also for remote damages.