## Facts

- The case involved Mr. Harrison, a train guard, who attempted to rescue a passenger falling from a moving train.
- The incident was caused by the premature departure of the train, allegedly due to the negligence of another railway employee.
- As a result of his rescue attempt, Mr. Harrison also fell and suffered injuries.

## Issues

1. Whether the defendant’s negligence that led to the passenger's fall also foreseeably created a situation likely to induce a rescue attempt.
2. Whether Mr. Harrison’s actions as a rescuer were reasonable in the circumstances or so reckless as to break the chain of causation.
3. Whether the defendant was liable for injuries sustained by Mr. Harrison during the rescue attempt.

## Decision

- The Court of Appeal held that the defendant’s negligence in allowing the train to depart early created a foreseeable risk necessitating rescue.
- It was determined that Mr. Harrison’s intervention as a rescuer was reasonable in the context of the situation.
- The defendant was found liable for Mr. Harrison's injuries, as the chain of causation remained unbroken by the rescue attempt.

## Legal Principles

- Where a defendant's negligence creates a danger, a rescue attempt by a third party is a foreseeable and natural response ("danger invites rescue" doctrine).
- Liability can arise for injuries to rescuers if the original negligence created the danger and the rescuer’s actions were reasonable.
- Reckless or unnecessarily hazardous intervention by a rescuer may break the chain of causation and relieve the defendant of liability.
- The case solidifies the application of the "danger invites rescue" principle in English law, confirming the criteria of foreseeability and reasonableness of the rescuer’s conduct.

## Conclusion

Harrison v British Railways Board established that a defendant may be held liable for injuries suffered by a rescuer if their negligence created a foreseeable danger and the rescuer’s actions were reasonable, significantly shaping the legal approach to causation in rescue situations.


Harrison v British Railways Board [1981] 3 All ER 679