DAMNUM ABSQUE INIURIA (Lat. injury without wrong). A wrong done to a man for which the law provides no remedy. Broom. Max. 1. See DAMAGES.
Injuria is here to be taken In the sense of legal injury; and where no malice exists, there are many cases of wrong or suffering inflicted upon a man for which the law gives no remedy ; 2 Ld. Raym. 595 ; n. M. & W. 755; Lamb v. Stone, 11 Pick. (Mass.) 527. Thus, if the owner of property, in the prudent exer cise of his own right of dominion, does acts which cause loss to another, it is damnum absque injuria; Gardner v. Heartt, 2 Barb. (N. Y.) 168 ; Howland v. Vincent, 10 Mete. (Mass.) 371, 43 Am. Dec. 442; Trout V. McDonald, 83 Pa. 144 ; see Pennsylvania Coal Co. v. Sanderson, 113 Pa. 126, 6 Atl. 453, 57 Am. Rep. 445; 10 M. & W. 109. A railroad company which exercises due care in blasting on its own land, in order to lay its tracks, is not liable for injury to adjoining property arising merely from the incidental jarring ; Booth v. R. Co., 140 N. Y. 35 N. E. 592, 24 L. R. A. 105, 37 Am. St. Rep. 552. See BLASTING. The location and operation of a railroad in a street, the bed of which does not be long to an abutting property owner, is, as to him, damnum absque injuria; otherwise if he own the bed of the street ; Grand Rapids & I. R. Co. v.
Heisel, 38 Mich. 62, 31 Am. Rep. 306. The ringing of bells, sounding of whistles and other noises, and the emission of smoke by railroads, are damnum absque im.juria; Aldrich v. R. Co., 195 III. 456, 63 N. E, 155, 57 L. R. A. 237.
So, too, acts of public agents within the scope of their authority, if they cause damage, cause simply damnum absque injuria (q. v.); Sedgw. Dam. 29, 111 ; Callender v. Marsh, 1, Pick. (Mass.) 418 ; Bridge over River Lehigh v. Nay. Co., 4 Rawle (Pa.) 9, 26 Am. Dec. 111 ; Graves v. Otis, 2 Hill (N, Y.) 466 ; Hollister v. Union Co., 0 Conn. 436, 25 Am. Dec. 36 ; Hatch v. R. Co., 25 Vt. 49 ; Miller v. New York, 109 U. S. 395, 3 Sup. Ct. 228, 27 L. Ed. 971; Hamilton v. R. Co., 119 U. S. 284, 7 Sup. Ct. 206, 30 L. Ed. 393 ; Hart v. Aqueduct Corp., 133 Mass. 489; 2 B. & Ald. 646. See Ashby v. White, 1 Smith, Lead. Cas. 244; and Weeks, Doc. of Dam. Abs. Inj.
The state, in locating its public levees, acts in the exercise of its police powers, and private injury re sulting therefrom is damnum absque injuria; Egan v. Hart, 45 La. Ann. 1358, 14 South. 244.
See MENTAL SL1FrEaINo.