The Product Liability Debate.

Consider the following:

• A woman sued McDonald's because she was burned by hot coffee;
• A man sued a motor home manufacturer after the vehicle crashed when he left the driver's seat to fix himself a sandwich (he had the vehicle on cruise control);
• A woman sued a department store after she was injured by a falling display (pushed over by her own child);
• Millions of families lose loved ones to mesothelioma caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos.

These are all examples of product liability lawsuits that have made headlines in recent years. Non-attorney spokespeople advertise on behalf of law firms, seeking participants for class-action lawsuits. This is today's product liability climate.

Research an instance of product liability that has resulted in a court decision within the last 12 to 24 months. It doesn't matter if the decision was in favor of the plaintiff or the defendant; just be certain that you are able to report on the outcome of the lawsuit. Make sure to get a link and URL for case facts so that your classmates can follow up and read more about what you bring to the discussion.

After you have read about the case and completed your research, post to the discussion by completing the following tasks/questions:

1. Provide a brief synopsis of the case you read in preparation for this discussion. Be sure to include a URL and/or Web link in your post. Short paragraph.
2. Based on the case you read about, should the consumer bear more responsibility for product injuries, or should manufacturers bear more responsibility?
3. How does product liability impact business operations and decisions?