General Laws of Massachusetts (Last Updated: January 16, 2020) |
PART III COURTS, JUDICIAL OFFICERS AND PROCEEDINGS IN CIVIL CASES |
TITLE II. ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS THEREIN |
CHAPTER 231. PLEADING AND PRACTICE |
SECTION 85Q. Standard of care owed children; maintenance of artificial condition upon land
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Any person who maintains an artificial condition upon his own land shall be liable for physical harm to children trespassing thereon if (a) the place where the condition exists is one upon which the land owner knows or has reason to know that children are likely to trespass, (b) the condition is one of which the land owner knows or has reason to know and which he realizes or should realize will involve an unreasonable risk of death or serious bodily harm to such children, (c) the children because of their youth do not discover the condition or realize the risk involved in intermeddling with it or in coming within the area made dangerous by it, (d) the utility to the land owner of maintaining the condition and the burden of eliminating the danger are slight as compared with the risk to children involved, and (e) the land owner fails to exercise reasonable care to eliminate the danger or otherwise to protect the children.