In a case where a negligent design could lead to harm, which statement best describes liability risk for the professional?

In a case where a negligent design could lead to harm, which statement best describes liability risk for the professional?

• A. The client
• B. The public
• C. Both the client and the public
• D. The client and the public are protected by professional immunity

Answer: (C)

When a professional’s design could harm people, liability isn’t limited to the hiring client. You have a duty of care in your work that can extend to the public as well, because those who rely on your expertise and the safety of the finished product may be affected. If a design is negligent and leads to harm, the professional can face claims from the client for failing to meet contractual or professional standards, and equally from members of the public who are injured or adversely affected by the design. There isn’t a blanket immunity that protects both the client and the public from liability; professional immunity, where it exists at all, does not shield you from civil liability in these situations. So the risk of liability in a case of negligent design encompasses both the client and the public.

When a professional’s design could harm people, liability isn’t limited to the hiring client. You have a duty of care in your work that can extend to the public as well, because those who rely on your expertise and the safety of the finished product may be affected. If a design is negligent and leads to harm, the professional can face claims from the client for failing to meet contractual or professional standards, and equally from members of the public who are injured or adversely affected by the design. There isn’t a blanket immunity that protects both the client and the public from liability; professional immunity, where it exists at all, does not shield you from civil liability in these situations. So the risk of liability in a case of negligent design encompasses both the client and the public.