Essentials of the Legal Environment of Business: BUS 2440 v2.0.1

By: Don Mayer, Daniel Warner, George Siedel, and Jethro K. Lieberman

Published: 2021

Discipline: Business Law

Textbooks ISBN (Digital): 978-1-4533-3901-5

Case Questions -

Laaperi v. Sears Roebuck, Inc.

787 F.2d 726 (1st Cir. Fed. Ct. App., Mass 1986)

1. Why is this case in federal court? (There is no federal question).

2. Why does the court discuss its "sense of the current state of the tort law in Massachusetts" and how this case "would be treated by the Massachusetts courts," as if it were not in the state at all but, somehow outside?

3. What rule of law in play here as to the defendants' liability?

This is a horrificsituationthree boys died in a house fire. Speaking dispassionatelyif not heartlesslythough, did the fire actually cost Mr. Laaperi $1.6 million (in 2019 dollars)? Does it make sense that he should become a millionaire as a result? Who ends up paying this amount? (The lawyers' fees probably took about half.)

4. Is it likely that smoke-alarm manufacturers and sellers changed their installation instructions as a result of this case?