Sec. 42a-7-204. Duty of care; contractual limitation of warehouse's liability. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 42a-7-204. Duty of care; contractual limitation of warehouse's liability. (a) A warehouse is liable for damages for loss of or injury to the goods caused by its failure to exercise care with regard to the goods that a reasonably careful person would exercise under similar circumstances. Unless otherwise agreed, the warehouse is not liable for damages that could not have been avoided by the exercise of that care.

      (b) Damages may be limited by a term in the warehouse receipt or storage agreement limiting the amount of liability in case of loss or damage beyond which the warehouse is not liable. Such a limitation is not effective with respect to the warehouse's liability for conversion to its own use. On request of the bailor in a record at the time of signing the storage agreement or within a reasonable time after receipt of the warehouse receipt, the warehouse's liability may be increased on part or all of the goods covered by the storage agreement or the warehouse receipt. In this event, increased rates may be charged based on an increased valuation of the goods.

      (c) Reasonable provisions as to the time and manner of presenting claims and commencing actions based on the bailment may be included in the warehouse receipt or storage agreement.

      (1959, P.A. 133, S. 7-204; P.A. 04-64, S. 10.)

      History: P.A. 04-64 amended section to adopt the 2003 Revision of Uniform Commercial Code Article 7-Documents of Title.

      Annotations to former statute (1958 Rev., S. 40-22):

      Care required. 73 C. 355; 79 C. 342. There is a presumption of negligence in case of nondelivery. 108 C. 659. Defendant is not an insurer. Destruction of apples by escape of free ammonia held not negligence. 135 C. 424.

      Annotations to present section:

      Subsec. (2):

      Cited. 187 C. 405.

      Section is merely declaratory of the common law of this state concerning a bailee's ability to limit liability in a receipt or contract. 34 CS 661.