Paulson v. Ford

A levee failed, and escaping waters of the Platte River flooded part of plaintiffs’ farm north-northwest of Valley, Nebraska. In this, negligence action a jury has assessed damages, for the harm to plaintiffs. Defendant contends on appeal that causation between his conduct and the levee failure was not reasonably inferable and that excessive damages were awarded.

The river flowed southerly in two channels along the west side of defendant’s land and less than % mile west of plaintiffs’ farm. The east channel, studded with sandbars and small islands, was 500 to 600 feet wide. It ordinarily…