Chicago Steel Rule & Die Fabricators Co. v. ADT Security Systems, Inc.

Plaintiffs Chicago Steel Rule & Die Fabricators Co. (Chicago Steel) and Travelers Indemnity Company of Illinois (Travelers), as subrogee of Chicago Steel, brought this action against defendants ADT Security Systems, Inc., its successor corporation ADT Security Services, Inc. (ADT), and Tyco International, Ltd. (Tyco), to recover damages resulting from a fire that occurred at a plant operated by Chicago Steel. This case presents an issue of first impression as to whether an exculpatory clause in a contract between two commercial parties can preclude one of the commercial parties from bringing…