Quick Quiz: You've just built and leased
50,000 square feet of office space in a
superbly insulated, modern building,
which you've finished with three coats of
paint, wall-to-wall carpeting, and fireretardant
draperies. A month later, you
get a call from your tenant saying that
35 of his 80 employees are complaining
about headaches, sore throats, loss of
appetite, and problems concentrating on
their work. He wants you to replace certain
building materials and redesign your
hvac system (your ventilation system's
air intake, it turns out, is right above the
loading dock), and to show his sincerity
he threatens to sue you for negligence for
exposing him to known carcinogens and
other dangerous compounds. Does he
have a case?