While Mrs. O'Leary may have been negligent in leaving an oil lamp in the barn for her cow to kick over, she would not be held liable for the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 because the chain of events from the cow kicking the lantern to the destruction of the city was not:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Negligence requires a foreseeable consequence of one's actions, and it would not have been foreseeable to Mrs. O'Leary that her actions would lead to the destruction of the entire city. Therefore, she cannot be held liable.

While Mrs O'Leary May Have Been Negligent in Leaving an Oil