Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co
Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co (1892) is a landmark case in contract law. The Carbolic Smoke Ball Company advertised that using their product would prevent influenza and promised to pay £100 to anyone who still got sick. Mrs. Carlill used the product and fell ill but wasn't paid. The court ruled in her favor, stating that the advertisement constituted a valid offer. Acceptance occurred when she used the smoke ball, and the company had made a genuine promise by depositing money to demonstrate their intention to pay. This case clarified how offers and acceptance work in contract law.
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Carlill v. Carbolic Smoke Ball Co. is a landmark case in contract law from 1892. The Carbolic Smoke Ball Company advertised a product claiming it could prevent influenza and offered a £100 reward to anyone who used it as directed and still caught the flu. Louisa Carlill used the product, got sick, and claimed the reward. The court ruled in her favor, stating that the advertisement constituted a valid offer, which she accepted by using the product. This case established important principles about unilateral contracts and the binding nature of advertised promises.