Pennsylvania Supreme Court Confirms: Industry Standards Remain Inadmissible in Product Liability Cases

After the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in Tincher v. Omega Flex in 2014, many lawyers felt the decision marked a major shift in how product liability cases would be handled. A recent ruling, however, makes it unquestionably clear that industry standards will remain inadmissible and irrelevant in Pennsylvania product liability cases. Consistent with the state’s approach to strict liability, the high court determined that defendants can still not offer evidence that their product complies with industry standards.

The state Supreme Court’s decision reflects that industry standards, such as ANSI, are nothing more than what manufacturer representatives believe is the minimal threshold for what is a reasonably safe product. These manufacturer representatives collectively comprise the various ANSI committees. The focus should be on the product itself and not industry standards, which is the hallmark of reasonable care in product liability cases.

For more information, click on this link to read the court’s decision.

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