Section 16. (a) A response action contractor with respect to any release or threatened release of oil or hazardous material shall not be strictly liable under this chapter nor under any other state law to any person for injuries, costs, damages, expenses or other liability including but not limited to claims for indemnification or contribution and claims by third parties for death, personal injury, illness or loss of or damage to real or personal property or economic loss which results from such release or threatened release.

Terms Used In Massachusetts General Laws ch. 21E sec. 16

  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. Source: FDIC
  • Personal property: All property that is not real property.

(b) The limitation of liability provided under subsection (a) shall apply only to response action contractor liability arising out of a release or threatened release of oil or hazardous material resulting from response actions conducted by the response action contractor.

(c) Any response action contractor who is otherwise liable under subsection (a) of section five for a release or threatened release of oil or hazardous material at a site shall not be entitled to any limitation of liability under this section by virtue of becoming a response action contractor at that site.