<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Century Gothic";
panose-1:2 11 5 2 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:6.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:14.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:black;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:6.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;
font-size:14.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:black;}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;
font-weight:normal;
font-style:normal;}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:1652367103;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:-326578270 1417694254 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-text:"\(%1\)";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:.75in;
text-indent:-.5in;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'>The uncertainty that follows a Supreme Court opinion that effects a substantial change in the law . . .<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'>Interesting because if your defendant is not a professional, then the standard of care would typically be that of a reasonable contractor/subcontractor/construction manager (setting aside the issue of whether construction managers might or might not fall into the “professional” class – insurers seem to think so). So the issue is whether or not one can (contractually or otherwise) set a standard of care which may be different from the “reasonable person” standard.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'>I think the answer is probably yes, and you would might look to cases where, for example, Company X has a policy that their drivers never exceed the speed limit, but in the accident, the driver for Company X was exceeding the speed limit. Or a hospital has a certain standard . . .<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'>I think the answer is cleaner if the QC standard is a contractual obligation. There’s a fair argument that failing to meet a contractual standard would be negligence, especially since the ELR is gone. . . . <o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:#0000A0'>Bruce D. Partington</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D'>Clark</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D'>Partington<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'><a href="mailto:bpartington@cphlaw.com" title="blocked::mailto:bpartington@cphlaw.com"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>bpartington@cphlaw.com</span></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D'>Direct: 850-432-1399<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D'>Fax: 850-432-7340<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><i><span style='font-size:9.0pt;color:#1F497D'>*Board Certified in Construction Law<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:7.5pt;color:#1F497D'>NOTICE: This e-mail message and any attachments are private communication sent by the law firm of Clark Partington Hart Larry Bond & Stackhouse, and may contain confidential, legally privileged information meant solely for the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. Please notify the sender immediately by replying to this message, and delete the e-mail and any attachments from your system. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext'> clc-discussion-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org [mailto:clc-discussion-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Richard A. Burt<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, January 15, 2014 5:21 PM<br><b>To:</b> 'clc-discussion@lists.flabarrpptl.org'<br><b>Subject:</b> [CLC-Discussion] Negligence: Standard of care: Proof: Qualitycontrol program<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>Everyone, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>I would like any thoughts you may have regarding the following related issues: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>(i)<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span></i><![endif]><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>Is a defendant’s own quality control program admissible to prove the standard of care in a negligence case brought against him? <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>(ii)<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span></i><![endif]><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>Is the failure of a defendant to follow his own quality control program admissible to prove his negligence (i.e., violation of the standard of care)?<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>I will greatly appreciate any comment and/or legal authority you may have as to these issues.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>Thanks!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>Dick<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>Richard A. Burt, Esq.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>BURT & BURT<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>420 S. Orange Ave., Suite 220<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>Orlando, FL 32801</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>(386) 252-2090 (office)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>(866) 240-7043 (facsimile) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><a href="mailto:dick@burt-burt.com">dick@burt-burt.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><a href="http://www.burt-burt.com/">www.burt-burt.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>