Re Polemis

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Re Polemis, [1921] 3 K.B. 560 is a famous UK tort case on causation. The Court held that a defendant can be held liable for all consequences flowing from the wrongful conduct regardless of how unforeseeable. This decision was eventually overruled by the Privy Council in Wagon Mound #1, [1961] 1 All E.R. 404 (P.C.).

The defendant's employees were loading cargo into a ship. Due to the employee's negligence a plank fell into the hold of the ship causing a spark inturn causing a fire which destroyed the entire vessel.

The Court held that the defendant will be liable. The fire itself may not have been foreseeable the likelihood of at least some type of damage would result from the negligence. Liability is determined solely on the the damage being a direct consequence of the wrongful act.