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Gulf Refining Co. v. Williams

Mississippi Supreme Court
185 So. 234 (1938)

Written by Rose VanHofwegen, JD

Facts

Williams (plaintiff) sued Gulf Refining Co. (defendant) after a drum of gas it supplied ignited, causing severe burns. A Gulf employee noted that repeated hammering over nine years of use had left the drum-cap threads bent and jagged. The jury concluded that the broken condition of the threads caused a spark upon opening and awarded Williams judgment. Gulf Refining appealed, arguing that the explosion was so unlikely and unheard of that it could not anticipate that danger, precluding liability for negligence.

Rule of Law

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Issue

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Holding and Reasoning (Griffith, J.)

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A "yes" or "no" answer to the question framed in the issue section;
A summary of the majority or plurality opinion, using the CREAC method; and
The procedural disposition (e.g., reversed and remanded, affirmed, etc.).

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