Material Contribution in Bonnington: Not An Exception To 'But For' Causation

Title: Material Contribution in Bonnington: Not An Exception To 'But For' Causation
Creator: Foster, Neil
Relation: University of Western Australia Law Review Vol. 49, Issue 1, p. 404-425
Relation: https://search-informit-org.ezproxy.newcastle.edu.au/doi/abs/10.3316/agispt.20220721070685
Publisher: University of Western Australia*Law School
Resource Type: journal article
Date: 2022
Description: The courts have wrestled for some years with what Lord Reid meant in Bonnington Castings Ltd v Wardlaw [1956] AC 613 when he said that '[the plaintiff] must make it appear at least that on a balance of probabilities the breach of duty caused or materially contributed to his injury'. Some have taken this to mean that 'material contribution' is something different to classic 'but for' causation. The aim of the article is to demonstrate that this is not correct; that 'material contribution' in Bonnington is an example of, not an exception to, 'but for' causation; and to argue that this misreading of the case should no longer be perpetuated.
Subject: breach of duty; material contribution; Bonnington; misreading
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1485660
Identifier: uon:51663
Identifier: ISSN:0042-0328
Language: eng

		Thumbnail	File	Description	Size	Format