Donoghue v Stevenson Case Quiz

Donoghue v Stevenson Case Summary

Background

• The case was heard in the House of Lords in the United Kingdom in 1932.
• The judges presiding over the case were Lord Buckmaster and Lord Atkin.

Facts of the Case

• Mrs. May Donoghue, the claimant, consumed a bottle of ginger beer manufactured by Stevenson.
• The bottle contained a decomposing snail, which allegedly caused Mrs. Donoghue to fall sick.
• Mrs. Donoghue sued Stevenson, the manufacturer, for negligence, despite the lack of a contractual relationship between them.

Issue and Sub-Issue

• The main issue was whether the manufacturer owed a duty of care to the consumer without a contractual obligation.
• The sub-issue was whether negligence could be extended beyond physical proximity, allowing duty of care to be owed to someone far away but still affected by the defendant's actions.

Law and Ratio Decidendi

• The court established that a manufacturer owes a duty of care to the final consumer to ensure their products are safe for consumption.
• The "Neighbour Principle" was introduced, which states that one must take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions that could reasonably foreseeably injure one's neighbour.
• The ratio decidendi was two-fold:
  • One must take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions that could reasonably foreseeably injure one's neighbour.
  • A manufacturer owes a duty of care to consumers when selling products intended to be consumed directly by them, without any possibility of intermediate examination, and where there is a foreseeable risk of harm if reasonable care is not taken.

Significance

• The case established negligence as a tort, even without a contractual agreement between the parties.
• The "Neighbour Principle" has since been widely applied in negligence cases.