The foundational case for modern negligence law. Mrs Donoghue drank ginger beer from an opaque bottle that contained a decomposed snail. She sued the manufacturer.
Common law
Mrs Donoghue consumed ginger beer containing a decomposed snail. The House of Lords held that the manufacturer owed a duty of care to the ultimate consumer, establishing the neighbour principle as the foundation of negligence.
This case is foundational for any negligence claim. The neighbour principle is applied in countless modern cases to determine whether a duty of care exists.
This is perhaps the most cited case in tort law. Know the facts, the ratio, and Lord Atkin's neighbour principle by heart. It appears in almost every negligence exam question.
