Contractors May Be on Hook for Carbon Monoxide Deaths

Contractors who worked for a home warranty company may be liable for the 2012 carbon monoxide poisoning of five people based on their failure to inspect areas not covered under their contract, a Maryland appeals court said.

The contractors may be liable even though they had no contractual relationship with the occupants of the house or their survivors, the court said.

The plaintiffs allege that the technicians for the contractors should have discovered that there were holes and rust on the flue through which the exhaust from both the boiler and hot water heater vented, warned the occupants of the ...