Question

Astor Manufacturing stores hazardous and volatile chemicals in its warehouse. The warehouse has state of the art equipment to make sure the chemicals do not explode. An unexpected earthquake shakes the warehouse, causing the chemicals to explode and injure Will-a passerby on a nearby sidewalk. Astor Manufacturing isA. liable to Will only if the company was grossly negligent.B. not liable to Will because it satisfied its duty to passerbys.C. strictly liable for Will's injuries.D. not liable to Will because Jason voluntarily assumed the risk of injury.

Answer 1

A. liable to Will only if the company was grossly negligent

Step-by-step explanation:

Astor Manufacturing cannot be strictly responsible for Will's injuries since the cause of the accident was the earthquake (C), not because of a company error.

Although the company fulfilled its duty to have the equipment to ensure that the chemicals didn´t explode, it could become responsible so they actually exploded (B)

In the fragment "Jason" is never mentioned as someone who has voluntarily assumed the risk of injury, option (D) makes no sense like an answer.

Therefore, Astor Manufacturing would be liable to Will only if the company had been seriously negligent. This was not the case, but it should also be investigated why the latest generation equipment did not prevent chemicals from exploding.