A negligent person who causes an injury to another person is liable for the latter's injuries. Because it is sometimes very difficult to determine the causal extent of a negligent action, courts have developed the theory of proximate cause, which limits the scope of liability. In this connection, Liz Shaffer negligently failed to maintain the brakes on her car, and as a result her car crashed into one driven by Mary Vassar. Mary was taken to the hospital for bumps and bruises, but while she was there, doctors mistakenly amputated her perfectly healthy leg. Mary sues Liz for loss of her leg.
Construct two arguments, one supporting Mary's position, the other supporting Liz's position. The only issue is whether Liz proximately caused the loss of the leg. There are two controlling cases in this jurisdiction:
Sacco v. Lane: Lane negligently used gasoline to light his barbecue in a strong wind. The flames from the barbecue ignited nearby trees and then spread to ten houses in the neighborhood, burning them to the ground. The court ruled that Lane was liable for damage to the houses.
Hunt v. Gomez: Hunt was a passenger in a taxi driven by Gomez. Gomez was drunk and negligently let Hunt out at the wrong corner. While Hunt was walking home, a worker dropped a brick from a building that was under construction, injuring Hunt. Hunt sued Gomez for injury resulting from the falling brick. The court ruled in favor of Gomez.