Williams v. Hays

William Hays (defendant), captain and part owner of a cargo ship, fought a three-day storm with little food or sleep and took a strong malaria medicine, after which the crew thought he seemed drunk or insane. During that time two tugboats offered to tow the damaged ship to safety, and Hays refused both; the ship then wrecked, and Hays later recalled nothing of the offers. The other owners, including Williams (plaintiffs), sued Hays for negligence to recover for the lost ship. The jury found for Hays, and the plaintiffs appealed.

Whether an insane person can be held liable for negligence under the same reasonable-person standard applied to a sane person.