Verge v. Ford Motor Co.

OPINION OF THE COURT

HIGGINBOTHAM, Circuit Judge

We must address, in this case, a little-litigated subtlety of products liability law: On whom to place design responsibilities where a product has been manufactured and assembled in more than one stage. Because we conclude that the Ford Motor Company was not responsible for the design defect here, we hold that the district court erred in denying Ford’s Motion for Judgment n.o.v.

I

The plaintiff, Jesus Garcia Verge, was an employee of the Government of the Virgin Island’s Department of Pub-*44lie Works Sanitation Division. He worked on a garbage…