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United Kingdom Leading Case causation legal remotenessprivate nuisance

Overseas Tankship (UK) Ltd v The Miller Steamship Co (Wagon Mound No 2)

[1967] 1 AC 617
JurisdictionUnited Kingdom
CourtPrivy Council
Year1967
StatusBinding authority

Summary

A defendant is liable in tort where damage of the relevant type was foreseeable, even if the risk of it occurring was very small.

Key Principle

even a small foreseeable risk of damage of the relevant type suffices

Area of Law

Tort — Causation, Remoteness and Damages

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Chester v Afshar [2004] UKHL 41

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Fairchild v Glenhaven Funeral Services Ltd [2002] UKHL 22

Where multiple tortfeasors each materially contributed to the risk of harm, proof of material contribution to risk suffices to establish causation in negligence.

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