<P> The plaintiff , Helen Palsgraf , was taking her daughters to the beach in August 1924 . As two men attempted to board a train before hers , one ( aided by railroad employees ) dropped a package that exploded , causing a large coin - operated scale on the platform to hit her . After the incident , she began to stammer , and subsequently sued the railroad , arguing that its employees had been negligent while assisting the man , and that she had been harmed by the neglect . In May 1927 she obtained a jury verdict of $6,000 , which the railroad appealed . Palsgraf gained a 3 -- 2 decision in the Appellate Division , and the railroad appealed again . Cardozo wrote for a 4 -- 3 majority of the Court of Appeals , ruling that there was no negligence because the employees , in helping the man board , did not have a duty of care to Palsgraf as injury to her was not a foreseeable harm from aiding a man with a package . The original jury verdict was overturned , and the railroad won the case . </P>
the long island railroad won the case because the harm to ms. palsgraf was not
foreseeable harm from aiding a man with a package