§ 3406. Negligence contributing to forged signature or
alteration of instrument.
(a) Failure to exercise ordinary care.--A person whose failure to exercise ordinary care substantially contributes to an alteration of an instrument or to the making of a forged signature on an instrument is precluded from asserting the alteration or the forgery against a person who, in good faith, pays the instrument or takes it for value or for collection.
(b) Allocation of loss.--Under subsection (a), if the person asserting the preclusion fails to exercise ordinary care in paying or taking the instrument and that failure substantially contributes to loss, the loss is allocated between the person precluded and the person asserting the preclusion according to the extent to which the failure of each to exercise ordinary care contributed to the loss.
(c) Burden of proof.--Under subsection (a), the burden of proving failure to exercise ordinary care is on the person asserting the preclusion. Under subsection (b), the burden of proving failure to exercise ordinary care is on the person precluded.
Cross References. Section 3406 is referred to in sections 3417, 4208 of this title.
Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Chapter 34 - Liability of Parties
Section 3402 - Signature by representative
Section 3403 - Unauthorized signature
Section 3404 - Impostors; fictitious payees
Section 3405 - Employer's responsibility for fraudulent indorsement by employee
Section 3406 - Negligence contributing to forged signature or alteration of instrument
Section 3408 - Drawee not liable on unaccepted draft
Section 3409 - Acceptance of draft; certified check
Section 3410 - Acceptance varying draft
Section 3411 - Refusal to pay cashier's checks, teller's checks and certified checks
Section 3412 - Obligation of issuer of note or cashier's check
Section 3413 - Obligation of acceptor
Section 3414 - Obligation of drawer
Section 3415 - Obligation of indorser
Section 3416 - Transfer warranties
Section 3417 - Presentment warranties
Section 3418 - Payment or acceptance by mistake