TY - JOUR
T1 - Limited liability and the public's health
AU - Rutkow, Lainie
AU - Teret, Stephen P.
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - Corporations, through their products and behaviors, exert a strong effect on the well-being of populations. Industries including frearms, motor vehicles, tobacco, and alcohol produce and market products negatively impact public health. All of these industries are composed of corporations, which are legal fctions designed to provide limited exposure to liability, through a variety of mechanisms, for their investors and directors. This means that when actions are taken on behalf of a corporate entity, the individuals responsible generally will not face personal liability for the negative results of those actions. To illustrate this point, this article considers corporate products or practices that have caused harm in varied settings, and analyzes the role that limited liability played in these cases. In addition, the article identifes ways to modify or eliminate some of the principles and practices that accompany limited liability.
AB - Corporations, through their products and behaviors, exert a strong effect on the well-being of populations. Industries including frearms, motor vehicles, tobacco, and alcohol produce and market products negatively impact public health. All of these industries are composed of corporations, which are legal fctions designed to provide limited exposure to liability, through a variety of mechanisms, for their investors and directors. This means that when actions are taken on behalf of a corporate entity, the individuals responsible generally will not face personal liability for the negative results of those actions. To illustrate this point, this article considers corporate products or practices that have caused harm in varied settings, and analyzes the role that limited liability played in these cases. In addition, the article identifes ways to modify or eliminate some of the principles and practices that accompany limited liability.
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1748-720X.2007.00183.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1748-720X.2007.00183.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 18076511
AN - SCOPUS:36849041002
SN - 1073-1105
VL - 35
SP - 599
EP - 608
JO - Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics
JF - Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics
IS - 4
ER -