Baker v. Outboard Marine Corp.

OPINION OF THE COURT

JAMES HUNTER, III, Circuit Judge:

This appeal concerns the propriety under Pennsylvania law of two aspects of a district court’s jury charge in a products liability case. First, relying on the specific language of section 402A of the Restatement of Torts, the court repeatedly stated that, for the defendant Outboard Marine Corporation to be held liable for damages to the plaintiffs, Jennifer and Susan Baker, the jury must find that a lawn mower manufactured by Outboard was “defective and unreasonably dangerous.” (emphasis added). Second, the court declined to inform the jury…