Kettinger v. Black & Decker Manufacturing Co.

Kettinger in the late autumn of 1972 purchased in a retail store a circular saw manufactured by the defendant (B&D), taken from the store’s window display. It was not accompanied by an instruction manual. Kettinger had no training or experience with a tool of this type. Between the 1972 purchase of the saw and July 16,1974, he himself used the saw fifteen to twenty times. His sons, all at least eighteen years old, also had used the saw. He had not been told whether they had dropped the saw and he himself testified that he had not dropped it prior to July 16, 1974.

On July 16, 1974, he was…