Estate of Brown v. Masco Corp.

DIES, Chief Justice.

On July 23, 1974, Cecil Ray Brown was driving south on Jacks Island Road in Orange County when his vehicle, a Datsun truck, collided with a boat and boat trailer being pulled by a pickup truck going north on the same road. Brown was killed, and his wife brought a products liability action against the manufacturer of the Fulton trailer coupler and the Dilly boat trailer contending that the trailer and coupler, due to design defects, became uncoupled and swung into the southbound lane striking Brown’s vehicle. Defendants contended the collision was caused by Brown’s leaving…