Rhode Island General Laws 9-1-32. Effect of alteration of product after sale
(a) As used in this section:
(1) “Person injured” means the person who sustained damages because of personal injury, death, or property damage.
(2) “Product liability damages” means damages because of personal injury, death, or property damage sustained by reason of an alleged defect in a product, or an alleged failure to warn or protect against a danger or hazard in the use or misuse of the product, or an alleged failure to instruct properly in the use of a product.
(3) “Subsequent alteration or modification” means an alteration or modification of a product made subsequent to the manufacture or sale by the manufacturer or seller that altered, modified, or changed the purpose, use, function, design, or manner of use of the product from that originally designed, tested, or intended by the manufacturer, or the purpose, use, function, design, or manner of use or intended use for which the product was originally designed, tested, or manufactured.
Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 9-1-32
- Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
(b) Any defense claimed by the manufacturer or seller that the person injured made a subsequent alteration or modification to the product that is found to be a significant contributing factor to the injury, death, or property damage shall be controlled by the comparative negligence provisions of § 9-20-4.
History of Section.
P.L. 1978, ch. 299, § 1; P.L. 2021, ch. 387, § 1, effective July 13, 2021; P.L. 2021, ch. 388, § 1, effective July 13, 2021.
Notes
Applicability.
P.L. 2021, ch. 387, § 2, provides that the amendment to this section by that act takes effect on passage [July 13, 2021] and “shall only apply to causes of action and claims arising after the effective date of this act.”
P.L. 2021, ch. 388, § 2, provides that the amendment to this section by that act takes effect on passage [July 13, 2021] and “shall only apply to causes of action and claims arising after the effective date of this act.”