Pat and Sally started a charcoal fire for Sally's backyard barbecue and left it uncovered. Then Sally went into the kitchen to make hamburger patties. While Sally was inside, Pat backed up to catch a football and hit the grill, knocking the coals onto his feet. In a pure comparative negligence state, who is liable?
A) Sally is liable for ALL of Pat's injuries.
B) Sally is liable for Pat's injuries in proportion to the degree of fault or negligence found against her.
C) Sally is not liable for any of Pat's injuries.
D) Sally is liable for Pat's injuries only if Pat was more negligent than Sally.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In a pure comparative negligence state, liability is shared based on the degree of fault of each party. Therefore, if Sally is found to be at fault to any degree for leaving the grill unattended or not ensuring it was in a safe location, she would be liable for Pat's injuries in proportion to her degree of fault.

Pat and Sally Started a Charcoal Fire for Sally's Backyard