Legal Definitions - periculosus

periculosus

Periculosus is a Latin term meaning dangerous or perilous. In legal contexts, it describes a situation, object, activity, or condition that presents a significant and foreseeable risk of harm, injury, or loss.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of periculosus:

• Example 1: Dangerous Property Condition

  A property owner neglects to repair a large, crumbling section of sidewalk directly in front of their business, despite numerous complaints. A pedestrian trips over the hazard, falls, and sustains a serious injury.

  This sidewalk condition is periculosus because it poses a clear and significant danger to anyone walking on it, making injury highly probable due to the owner's negligence.

• Example 2: Dangerous Animal

  A person owns a venomous snake known to be highly aggressive and keeps it in an unsecured cage in a residential area. The snake escapes and bites a neighbor's child, requiring immediate medical attention.

  The snake is considered periculosus due to its inherent nature and the owner's failure to secure it, creating a perilous situation for the community and leading to foreseeable harm.

• Example 3: Dangerous Activity or Product

  A construction company uses outdated and poorly maintained scaffolding for a high-rise building project, despite modern safety standards requiring more robust equipment. A section of the scaffolding collapses, injuring workers below.

  The use of the faulty scaffolding for a high-rise project is periculosus because it involves a significant and unacceptable risk of structural failure and severe injury, demonstrating a perilous approach to safety.