Which landmark case established the duty of care principle?

The landmark case that established the duty of care principle is Donoghue v. Stevenson (1932). This case is foundational in tort law, particularly in establishing the concept of negligence. In this case, a woman became ill after consuming a ginger beer that contained a decomposed snail, which was not visible before consumption. The court held that the manufacturer owed a duty of care to the consumer, even though there was no direct contract between them. This decision introduced the ‘neighbour principle’, which means individuals must take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions that could foreseeably harm others who are closely and directly affected by their actions.

The significance of this case lies in its establishment of who can claim for negligence and under what circumstances, setting important precedents for future cases regarding duty of care. It signifies that a duty of care exists when there is a relationship between the parties that creates a foreseeable risk of harm.

In contrast, the other cases listed deal with different aspects of legal principles. R v. Brown (1993) is primarily associated with consent in non-fatal offences and does not address duty of care. Palmers v. Smith (1980) involves specific issues relevant to vicarious liability rather than the broader principle of duty of care