What is strict liability in defective products law?

Strict liability is a legal term referring to a person’s obligation to compensate for any damages or injuries caused even when they were not negligent or intentionally at fault. In California, strict liability applies to any products that have been sold that caused harm to the user. This means that even if a manufacturer exercised all due care in the design and production of a product, the company can still be held liable if the product causes harm. Under California’s strict liability laws, a plaintiff (person bringing the claim) does not have to prove that the product was defective or that the manufacturer was at fault for the product’s failure. Instead, the plaintiff only has to show that the product was not reasonably safe and that it caused their injury. Additionally, the plaintiff does not have to prove that the manufacturer was aware of the product’s risks at the time of sale. The burden of proof is on the defendant (person/entity being sued) to show the product was reasonably safe or that the plaintiff’s injury was caused by some other factor not related to the product. In general, these strict liability laws help protect individuals from suffering harm due to defective products. This way, even when manufacturers aren’t negligent, they are still responsible for any injuries or damages caused by their products.

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