Strict liability for design defects reaches injuries no earlier doctrine could touch

Evidence

It is hard to overestimate the importance of these changes in expanding plaintiffs’ opportunities for redress. Adoption of comparative negligence eliminated a major barrier to product liability suits. As Jethro Lieberman noted, “Strict liability for design defect has become a dominant part of the law governing products because it seems to be the only standard that can reach a large class of injuries left untouched by the earlier doctrines.” — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 3453

Categorization

• DEFINE: Clarifies what ‘strict liability for design defect’ does doctrinally that negligence and warranty could not.