You are standing on a street corner. A truck belonging to the Safety First Trucking Co. (SFTC) carrying radioactive nuclear waste has a tire blown out, which causes the truck to overturn near you. Radioactive waste escapes from the truck and covers half your body. As a result, you suffer serious medical harm. What legal theory of recovery is available to you that will not require you to prove that SFTC was at fault?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Strict liability holds the person or company responsible for the harm caused regardless of fault. In this case, because the radioactive waste is a dangerous substance, SFTC can be held strictly liable for any harm caused by the escape of the waste. This means that the injured person would not have to prove that SFTC was at fault, only that the harm was caused by the escaped radioactive waste.

You Are Standing on a Street Corner