From small mom and pop operations to multinational corporations, the millennium bug could produce dire consequences. Assembly lines might grind to a halt. Credit cards might not scan. The list of fearful calamities also includes traffic lights that malfunction, failures in heating, air conditioning, elevators, bank vaults, and hospital and health care instruments. If those kinds of things occur, lawsuits inevitably will follow.
Many efforts are under way to solve the problem.
Prudential, for example, has developed a kit to help small businesses deal with the Year 2000 problem. Federal and state lawmakers are looking at ways to cut down on the lawsuits, a difficulty because the vast majority of the potential lawsuits are expected to be based on applying existing legal theories. To close the courthouse doors to companies that might bring breach of warranty, product liability or fraud claims would require a drastic rewriting of the law and adoption of potentially unconstitutional statutes, ABA lawyers said. Used with permission.