A patron was attending a concert when a fire broke out due to faulty electrical wiring, which the venue owner had negligently failed to maintain. As firefighters were responding, unusually heavy rain caused their truck to slide off the road, significantly delaying their arrival. The stress of the situation exacerbated the patron's pre-existing but previously unknown heart condition, leading to a heart attack. The patron sued the venue owner for all resulting injuries. Is the patron likely to prevail?
No, because the patron's heart attack was not a foreseeable type of harm from negligent wiring.
No, because the delay caused by the heavy rain was an unforeseeable, superseding event that cuts off the owner's liability.
Yes, because the owner's negligence was a substantial factor in the patron's injuries, and the full extent of the harm is recoverable under the eggshell-plaintiff rule.
Yes, but the owner's liability will be reduced because the patron's pre-existing condition contributed to the severity of the injury.
The venue owner is liable for the patron's injuries. The owner's negligent failure to maintain the wiring was a breach of the duty of care owed to patrons and was the actual and proximate cause of the patron's injuries. An intervening event, such as a delay in rescue, will only sever the chain of causation if it is unforeseeable. Complications in rescue efforts are generally considered a foreseeable consequence of the initial negligence. Furthermore, under the "eggshell plaintiff" rule, a tortfeasor takes the victim as they find them. This means the defendant is liable for the full extent of the plaintiff's injuries, even if those injuries are unexpectedly severe due to a pre-existing condition. The patron's unforeseeable heart condition does not limit the owner's liability.
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Multistate Bar Examination
Torts
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