Lenz v. Standard Oil Co.

The defendant corporation takes the position that “no common law exception should be made to the general principle that there must be privity between the plaintiff and the defendant and that a seller is under no liability to anyone other than a purchaser for the character of the goods he sells.” This suggestion cannot be seriously entertained. Although courts continue to reiterate the conventional formula which states: “The general rule is that a contractor, manufacturer or vendor is not liable to third parties who have no contractual relations with him for negligence in the construction,…