Iowa Code 668.12 – Liability for products — defenses
Current as of: 2023 | Check for updates
|
Other versions
1. In any action brought pursuant to this chapter against an assembler, designer, supplier of specifications, distributor, manufacturer, or seller for damages arising from an alleged defect in the design, testing, manufacturing, formulation, packaging, warning, or labeling of a product, a percentage of fault shall not be assigned to such persons if they plead and prove that the product conformed to the state of the art in existence at the time the product was designed, tested, manufactured, formulated, packaged, provided with a warning, or labeled.
Terms Used In Iowa Code 668.12
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- fault: means one or more acts or omissions that are in any measure negligent or reckless toward the person or property of the actor or others, or that subject a person to strict tort liability. See Iowa Code 668.1
- State: includes any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession subject to the legislative authority of the United States. See Iowa Code 633D.2
2. Nothing contained in subsection 1 shall diminish the duty of an assembler, designer, supplier of specifications, distributor, manufacturer, or seller to warn concerning subsequently acquired knowledge of a defect or dangerous condition that would render the product unreasonably dangerous for its foreseeable use or diminish the liability for failure to so warn.
3. An assembler, designer, supplier of specifications, distributor, manufacturer, or seller shall not be subject to liability for failure to warn regarding risks and risk-avoidance measures that should be obvious to, or generally known by, foreseeable product users. When reasonable minds may differ as to whether the risk or risk-avoidance measure was obvious or generally known, the issues shall be decided by the trier of fact.
4. In any action brought pursuant to this chapter against an assembler, designer, supplier of specifications, distributor, manufacturer, or seller for damages arising from an alleged defect in packaging, warning, or labeling of a product, a product bearing or accompanied by a reasonable and visible warning or instruction that is reasonably safe for use if the warning or instruction is followed shall not be deemed defective or unreasonably dangerous on the basis of failure to warn or instruct. When reasonable minds may differ as to whether the warning or instruction is reasonable and visible, the issues shall be decided by the trier of fact.