一个作者关于本案的重要性的评价：
This seemingly petty trial in an obscure courtroom, little known to most Americans even in its own day, is one of the classic landmark cases in American legal history—and therefore well known to all law students. Its importance lies not only in its implications for the branch of civil law known as tort—specifically, the laws that deal with the recovery of payments for unintended and unforeseeable harm—but also for other issues raised by the series of legal battles that ensued.
关于案发现场的描述：
On February 20, 1889, after the noon recess had ended and the school bell rang, the seventh-grade class at the Union School took their seats. George, just shy of 12, and Andrew, now fifteen, sat across an aisle from one another and, just before the class was to begin, George swung his leg across the aisle and with his foot touched Andrew's injured leg below the knee. Whether George was standing or sitting, and whether he tapped Andrew lightly or kicked him, will never be known for sure. In any case, Andrew said nothing at the moment. It was not until some minutes later that Andrew burst into tears and had to be let out of the classroom.
损害的后果极为严重，一方面，原告作为其家庭的长子，终生残废，另一方面，多次手术，产生了巨额的医疗费。
原告不仅提起了民事诉讼，还提起了刑事诉讼。被告被判有罪，处以10美元的罚金。
关于民事诉讼，被告律师的抗辩理由是，因为没有伤害的故意，所有被告不应承担其不能预料的，一次轻微打击所生的严重的损害后果。
一审判决的结果是2800美元。对于习惯了动辄百万千万侵权赔偿的现代人，这点钱是微不足道的。但这笔钱，是原告父亲年收入的四倍。对于被告的家庭而言，这个数目赔偿金却是可以承受的。但被告并不满意，这个案子变成了两个家庭历时数年的战争。原告是一个一般的老百姓，而被告则是一个富有的在当地有名的家族。
案件最终的输盈，人们已经不关心了。但这个案子确立的规则却成为侵权法上的一个重要规则。此外，这个案子也是每一个学习侵权法的人必读的第一个案例。
但是，对于中国学生而言，由于资料和时间有限，案件背景的许多东西被忽视了。