Final answer:
A salesperson may be held liable for damages if they negligently provide incorrect property square footage information obtained from a third party, depending on jurisdiction and specific laws.
Step-by-step explanation:
Can a salesperson be held liable for damages after providing a property's square footage that was obtained from a third party? To address this question, it's important to understand the legal principles involved in property sales and the concept of misrepresentation. When a salesperson provides information about a property, they may be held responsible for the accuracy of this information, particularly if it's central to the transaction. If the square footage information is incorrect and the salesperson was negligent in verifying the correctness of the data obtained from a third party, they may be liable for any resulting damages. It also depends on the jurisdiction and specific laws that apply, as there might be variations in how these matters are legally interpreted. In general, a salesperson should practice due diligence by either verifying any third-party information or clearly disclosing the source and potential uncertainty of the data provided to the buyer. Failure to do so may put them at risk of legal consequences, especially if the buyer suffers damages because of a reliance on incorrect information that was seen as a warranty or a guarantee of the property's attributes.