Ryland vs flecture some case laws details as follow …. Rylands v. Fletcher (1868) is a landmark English tort law case that established the principle of strict liability for certain hazardous activities. In this case, the defendants, Rylands and Horrocks, constructed a reservoir on their land to supply water to a mill. During construction, they negligently failed to block off old mine shafts beneath the land, which connected to Fletcher’s adjoining mine. When the reservoir was filled, it burst, flooding Fletcher’s mine and causing significant damage.
The House of Lords held that Rylands and Horrocks were strictly liable for the damage caused by the escape of water from their reservoir. The court established that a person who, for their own purposes, brings onto their land and keeps there something likely to do mischief if it escapes, must keep it at their peril. If it escapes and causes damage, they are prima facie answerable for all the damage that is the natural consequence of its escape.
This case introduced the rule that liability can arise without proof of negligence, focusing instead on the nature of the activity and the potential for harm. Over time, the application of this rule has evolved, and in some jurisdictions, it has been absorbed into the general principles of negligence. However, the core idea remains influential in tort law, particularly concerning strict liability for inherently dangerous activities.