Beshada v. Johns-Manville Products Corp.: the function of state of the art evidence in strict products liability.
In Beshada v. Johns-Manville Products Corp., the Supreme Court of New Jersey held that a state of the art defense is unavailable in cases brought under a theory of strict liability for failure to warn. The court indicated that asbestos producers may be held liable for their products' harms even if the health hazards of asbestos were unknown and not discoverable when the products were marketed. In a subsequent case, the New Jersey court held that state of the art evidence is relevant to whether a product is defective. This Case Comment examines these different uses of knowledge evidence in the disposition of products liability cases. It contends that manufacturers should not be held liable for unknowable risks. The Comment concludes that the state of the art defense establishes a logical limit on strict liability and promotes efficient resolution of products liability claims.
D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007603:Jurisprudence; D009515:New Jersey; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology
D001194:Asbestos