Opinion ID: 2960144
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Causal Effect of the Absent Warning

Text: Although we affirm the district court’s factual finding on threshold causation, the element of causation is satisfied only if plaintiff goes on to prove that the absent warning, if given, would have affected the carrier’s stowage decision and thus prevented the explosion. Contship, 442 F.3d at 78 (“[L]iability for failure to warn is only appropriate if there is evidence that a warning would have altered the carrier’s actions.” (internal quotation marks and alteration omitted)). The district court did not address this second prong of the causation inquiry in any way, and because that question presents an issue of fact, we cannot consider it for the first time on appeal. For that reason, we vacate the district court’s judgment in favor of the plaintiffs, and we remand the case so that the district court can address the second prong in the first instance. 25