Design Defect

Design defects require showing safer, feasible alternative design under risk-utility test.

Representative cases

• Scott v. Dutton-Lainson Co. 774 N.W.2d 501 · Supreme Court of Iowa
• Matthew W. Murphy v. Columbus McKinnon Corporation 982 N.W.2d 898 · Wisconsin Supreme Court
• Judith A. Shears and Gary F. Shears, Jr. v. Ethicon, Inc. and Johnson & Johnson West Virginia Supreme Court

Related Products Liability rules

• Products Liability: Defect TypesDefects include manufacturing, design, and failure-to-warn defects.
• Manufacturing DefectA manufacturing defect deviates from intended design and makes product unreasonably dangerous.
• Failure to WarnManufacturers must warn of foreseeable risks not obvious to ordinary users.
• Products Liability: Strict Liability ElementsStrict liability requires a commercial seller, defective product, causation, and foreseeable use.
• Products Liability: Warranty ClaimsWarranty liability arises from breach of express or implied warranties.
• Products Liability: MisrepresentationFalse statements about product safety that induce reliance create liability.

Part of Torts on Core Legal Rules — foundational MBE-tested principles with primary-source citations.