MI STATEMichigan Supreme Court
2012

Hill v. Sears, Roebuck and Co

492 Mich. 651Michigan Supreme Court • Decided 2012Enforced
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HOLDING

A homeowner's home exploded when natural gas leaked from an uncapped gas line four years after appliance installers delivered and installed an electric dryer. The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that the dryer installers owed no legal duty to inspect or warn about the gas line because their contract only covered proper installation of the electrical appliance. The court found they neither created a new hazard nor had a special relationship requiring them to check unrelated systems. This protects subcontractors from liability for conditions outside their scope of work.

KEY FINDINGS

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Your duty is limited to what your contract requires—you don't owe a duty to inspect or fix unrelated systems or hazards in the home

FULL COURT OPINION