Private Law Theory

ABSTRACT
In this essay, I focus on corporate responsibility in tort for single-event mass disasters, such as toxic leaks, wildfires, and oil spills. Analytically, the singular character of these events is evident in at least two prominent ways. First, stand-alone financial loss is often the crux of the harm suffered in single-event disasters. And second, the prospect of unbounded liability – irrespective of whether the harm is purely economic loss or harm to persons or property – is frequently a benchmark to reservations about recognizing responsibility in these scenarios. My discussion is guided by these themes.

Rabin, Robert L, Corporate Responsibility in Mass Disaster Cases (March 23, 2023), DePaul Law Review, volume 72, no 601.