What is the “state of knowledge” defense to a product liability claim?

In California, the state of knowledge defense is a legal defense used in product liability claims. This defense is used to protect sellers and manufacturers from liability when a product is deemed dangerous. The state of knowledge defense states that the manufacturer or seller of a product cannot be held liable for a product’s potentially dangerous nature if the product was in line with the current state of scientific and technical knowledge at the time of its sale. This means that if a product meets the standard of care and is manufactured based on scientific knowledge available at the time of its production, the manufacturer or seller cannot be held liable for any injury or damages resulting from the product’s use. For example, if a product was deemed dangerous because of a risk that was unknown at the time of its production, using the state of knowledge defense would protect the seller and/or manufacturer from liability as long as the risk was unknown and not discoverable at the time of its production or sale. In order to make a successful defense, the seller or manufacturer must demonstrate that the product met the standard of care and was created using the latest available science or technology. If this can be demonstrated, the seller or manufacturer will not be held responsible for any injuries or damage resulting from the product’s use.

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What is the “state of knowledge” defense to a product liability claim?

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