Strict Liability - Explained
What is Strict Liability?
Written by J. Mance Gordon
Updated at April 20th, 2024
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What is Strict Liability?
Strict liability concerns an individual's legal liability for injury-causing behavior that is neither intentional nor negligent.
When is a Person Strictly Liable for their Actions?
Basically, an individual will be liable for any harm resulting to a third party from a course of conduct to which strict liability applies. Injuries caused while working with explosives, dangerous animals, product design or manufacturing, and serving alcohol to the public are strict liability torts in most states.
- Example: Beth has a business conducting fireworks shows. She is hired to conduct the fireworks display during a 4th of July celebration. During the event, a large firecracker veers into the crowd and explodes. Two people are injured by the explosion and sue Beth. She will be held strictly liable regardless of the amount of care she exerted in orchestrating the show.
Related Topics
- Tort Law (Intro)
- What are Torts?
- What are the types of torts?
- What are Intentional Torts?
- Unintentional Tort
- Assault and Battery?
- Intentional Infliction of Emotions Distress?
- Invasion of Privacy?
- False Imprisonment?
- Malicious Prosecution?
- Trespass?
- Conversion?
- Defamation?
- Defenses to Defamation?
- Absolute Privilege
- Defamation and 1st Amendment Considerations?
- Fraud?
- Intentional Interference with Contractual Relations?
- What is Negligence?
- Negligence A Duty of Care?
- Negligence Breach of Duty of Care?
- Causation?
- Cause-in-Fact
- What are common defenses to negligence actions?
- What is Strict Liability?
- Strict Liability Causes of Action Examples
- Strict Products Liability
- What defenses exist to strict product liability actions?
- Compensatory damages?
- Punitive damages?
- Treble Damages