Tae Kim v Budget Rent A Car :: 143 Wn2d 190
Category: Liability, Negligence and Tort
An accomplished thief stole a car from Budget’s Administrative Facility parking lot. The keys were in the vehicle. When he thought the police were in pursuit, he sped away and ran a stop sign. This caused the accident that severely injured Tae Kim.
The courts resisted the deep pockets radar of the trial lawyers and stood with the common law rule that “a private person does not have a duty to protect others from the criminal acts of third parties.” [At 195, cite omitted]. Furthermore, the Court held that even if it was proved that Budget was negligent for leaving the keys in the vehicle, “this was not the proximate cause of plaintiff’s injuries as a matter of law.” [At 206].
Rating the Usual Suspects:
| pass | Alexander, Gerry | |
| pass | Baker, William | |
| pass | Bridge, Bobbe | |
| pass | Guy, Richard | |
| pass | Johnson, Charles | |
| pass | Madsen, Barbara | |
| pass | Phillips, R Glenn | |
| pass | Sanders, Richard | |
| pass | Smith, Charles | |
| pass | Talmadge, Phil | |
| pass | Trickey, Michael | |
| pass | Webster, K C | |
| fail | Bergh, R Andrew | |
| fail | Masters, Kenneth | |
| fail | Pence, Christopher | |
| fail | Wiggins, Charles K |