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Washington Supreme Court Abandons Doctrine of Completion and Acceptance
In Davis v. Baugh Industrial Contractors, Inc., the Washington State Supreme Court abandoned the doctrine of completion and acceptance, which shields contractors from certain liability for negligent work after that work has been completed and accepted by the property owner. The case arose when Baugh, through its subcontractor, installed underground piping at a processing facility. The work was accepted by the owner, and approximately three years later, a leak in the piping caused a pond to form. An employee of the owner was killed trying to repair the work, and the employee’s estate filed a negligence action against the contractor. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of Baugh on the grounds that the completion and acceptance doctrine relieved Baugh of liability for negligence after the work was completed and accepted by the property owner. The Supreme Court overruled, abandoning the doctrine of completion and acceptance. That doctrine holds that, once an independent contractor finishes work on a project and the work has been accepted by the owner, the contractor is no longer liable for injuries to third parties, even if the work was negligently performed. In abandoning the doctrine, the Court observed that the doctrine ... more
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