WI · jury_instructions
Wis JI-Civil 1003
Negligence, Gas Company, Duty in Installing Its Pipes, Mains, and Meters
The defendant gas company at the time and place in question had a duty to exercise
ordinary care in the manner in which it (laid its mains) (installed pipes and fittings)
(inspected its mains) (repaired its mains).
To conform to this standard, the care used must be commensurate with the dangerous
consequences which would be reasonably expected from a course of action or inaction. It is
common knowledge that natural gas, if not properly contained, is highly explosive and, if
permitted to escape, is highly dangerous. Therefore, greater caution and vigilance are
required in dealing with this commodity than are required in dealing with the ordinary affairs
of life and business.
[Select the appropriate following paragraph.]
[To comply with this duty, the gas company must install pipes and fittings of good
material and workmanship, and it must lay its mains and install its pipes and fittings with
reasonable skill and care, having in mind the conditions and circumstances then existing. If
the defendant gas company fails to construct good quality pipes and fittings or to install them
in a reasonable manner, it is negligent.]
[To comply with this duty, the gas company must make such reasonable inspections as
will enable it to discover with reasonable promptness any leaks in its pipes and mains. If the
defendant gas company fails to make such reasonable inspections, it is negligent.]
[If the gas company or any of its employees (knows or should know of the existence
of a leak in its pipes) (has notice of a possible leak in its pipes), it must, in order to comply
with the required standard of care, use reasonable care and diligence (to locate and repair) (in
repairing) such defect within a time which is reasonable under all of the circumstances then
existing. If the defendant gas company fails to reasonably (locate and repair) (repair) such
defect within a reasonable time, it is negligent.]
History
Wis JI-Civil 1003 (1989). ©1989, Regents, Univ. of Wis. Prepared by the Wisconsin Civil Jury Instructions Committee of the Wisconsin Judicial Conference with the University of Wisconsin Law School; posted by the Wisconsin State Law Library with the University's permission.
Provenance
- Source
- wilawlibrary.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-24
- Edition
- 2026-09-24
- Content hash
8b0085a2a50533bae55b2d31261248e7428c2f8e157e539b2145f66eb5704607
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