li ‧ a ‧ bil ‧ i ‧ ty /ˌlaɪəˈbɪləti, ˌlaɪəˈbɪlɪti/ BrE AmE noun
1 . [uncountable] legal responsibility for something, especially for paying money that is owed, or for damage or injury
liability for
Tenants have legal liability for any damage they cause.
liability to
your liability to capital gains tax
liability to do something
The court ruled there was no liability to pay any refund.
2 . liabilities [plural] technical the amount of debt that must be paid OPP assets
3 . [singular] someone or something that is likely to cause problems for someone:
A kid like Tom would be a liability in any classroom.
liability to
The outspoken minister has become a liability to the government.
4 . liability to something law the amount by which something is likely to be affected by a particular kind of problem, illness etc
⇨ ↑ limited liability
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + liability
▪ full liability (=complete responsibility)
The driver of the other car accepted full liability for the accident.
▪ limited liability (=when someone is responsible for damages or debts for a limited amount of money)
Limited liability encourages managers to take more risks with shareholder funds than they would otherwise.
▪ unlimited liability (=when someone is responsible for damages or debts for the full amount of money)
Under the agreement, the insurance company has unlimited liability.
▪ legal liability (=responsibility for something that is covered by laws)
What is the legal liability of an employer in the event of an accident at work?
▪ criminal liability (=responsiblity for injury or damage covered by criminal law)
A child under the age of ten cannot face criminal liability for its acts.
▪ civil liability (=responsiblity for injury or damage covered by civil law)
A company operating a ship which spills oil into the sea will face civil liability.
▪ tax liability (=a legal responsibility to pay tax)
The government is planning to increase the tax liability on company cars.
▪ personal liability (=when an individual person is legally responsible)
Directors can incur personal liability for errors made by their companies.
■ verbs
▪ have liability
The parents of these children may have some liability.
▪ accept/admit liability
The company accepts no liability for any loss, inconvenience, or delay caused by a cancellation of train services.
▪ assume liability (=take the responsibility for something, which you did not have before)
You would then assume the tax liability for the account.
▪ incur liability (=be in a situation in which you must take responsibility for something)
The transfer of property will not incur a liability to inheritance tax.
▪ deny liability (=say you are not responsible for something)
The defendants continued to deny liability for Peck's death.
▪ escape/avoid liability
The defendant escaped liability by proving that he had taken all possible measures to avoid the accident.
■ liability + NOUN
▪ a liability claim (=a claim that someone is legally responsible)
A liability claim was made by a consumer injured by the product.
▪ liability insurance/cover (=insurance that protects you against a liability claim)
Many house and contents insurance policies have provision for liability insurance for claims of negligence against you.