Legal Definitions - attachment of risk

Definition: Attachment of risk is the moment when the responsibility for any loss or damage to goods purchased transfers from the seller to the buyer. This is defined in the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) § 2-509.

Example: If a buyer purchases a laptop from a seller and the seller agrees to deliver it to the buyer's address, the attachment of risk occurs when the laptop is delivered to the buyer. If the laptop is damaged during delivery, the buyer is responsible for the loss because the risk has already attached to them.

Another example: A customer orders a new sofa from a furniture store. The store agrees to deliver the sofa to the customer's home. The attachment of risk occurs when the sofa is delivered to the customer's home. If the sofa is damaged during delivery, the customer is responsible for the loss because the risk has already attached to them.

These examples illustrate how the attachment of risk works in a commercial transaction. Once the risk has attached to the buyer, they are responsible for any loss or damage to the goods purchased.