Why is Bill responsible for the damages caused by his son's actions?

Bill is responsible for the damages caused by his son's actions due to the principle of vicarious liability. This legal doctrine holds a parent or guardian accountable for the actions of their minor child under certain circumstances, particularly when those actions result in harm to others or damage to property.

In this context, vicarious liability is based on the idea that parents have a duty to supervise and control the actions of their children, especially when they are minors. If a child engages in conduct that leads to damages, the parent can be held financially responsible because the law assumes the parent has an obligation to guide the child’s behavior.

This principle encourages responsible parenting and ensures that victims have a means of pursuing compensation for their losses when the responsible party is unable to pay. It is particularly applicable when the actions in question arise from negligent or wrongful conduct of the minor that could have been reasonably controlled by the parent.

Other options like public liability, employers' liability, and product liability pertain to different legal concepts that do not apply to the relationship between a parent and child in the context of this question. Public liability relates to injuries caused to the general public, employers' liability involves an employer's responsibility for employees’ actions while performing work-related tasks, and product