What is a “state of the art” defense in defective products law?

In Florida, a “state of the art” defense is a legal defense that can be used by a manufacturer or designer of a product who is being sued in a defective products case. It is a way for the manufacturer or designer to argue that the product was flawed due to the state of technology at the time the product was designed or manufactured. In other words, the defense is saying that due to the design of the product and the technology that was available when it was created, the product was the best it could have been at the time. The defense essentially states that it was not possible to create a better product due to the technology available at the time. This defense is not always successful, as a court may find that the manufacturer or designer was negligent and that they either should have used more up-to-date technology or could have taken other steps to improve the safety of the product. The success of the defense is largely dependent on the evidence presented and how convincing it is to the court. It is important to note that this defense is only available in cases of strict liability, meaning that the manufacturer or designer will be held liable regardless of whether or not they were actually negligent. In other words, the state-of-the-art defense is not available if the plaintiff is claiming negligence on the part of the manufacturer or designer.

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What is a “state of the art” defense in defective products law?

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