Opinion ID: 864358
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: the feasible alternative design.

Text: II. SUMMARY JUDGMENT AS A MATTER OF LAW. ¶11. Inasmuch as sub-issues of issue one and issue two are related, they will be discussed simultaneously. Moore argues that the defective condition of the hot water heater created an unreasonably dangerous product which failed to adequately warn consumers of its hazardous design and feasible design alternative. ¶12. The provisions for a products liability claim is detailed in Miss. Code Ann. § 11-1-63 which states: (a) The manufacturer or seller of the product shall not be liable if the claimant does not prove by the preponderance of the evidence that at the time the product left the control of the manufacturer or seller: (i)1. The product was defective because it deviated in a material way from the manufacturer's specifications or from otherwise identical units manufactured to the same manufacturing specifications, or 2. The product was defective because it failed to contain adequate warnings or instructions, or 3. The product was designed in a defective manner, or 4. The product breached an express warranty or failed to conform to other express factual representations upon which the claimant justifiably relied in electing to use the product; and (ii)The defective condition rendered the product unreasonably dangerous to the user or consumer; and (iii) The defective and unreasonably dangerous condition of the product proximately caused the damages for which recovery is sought. ¶13. Thus, it is incumbent upon the plaintiff in any products liability action to show that the defendant’s product was the cause of the plaintiff’s injuries. Assuming arguendo that the 1981 hot water heater was 5 in fact a Rheem brand, the evidence is undisputed that it would have complied with all mandatory and voluntary government and industry standards, including the standards of the American Gas Association (AGA) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). All models of Rheem hot water heaters are tested and certified to the standards promulgated by the AGA and ANSI. More specifically, a 1981 Rheem hot water heater would have complied with ANSI Z21.10.1 and contained the scald warning language required under the standard. ¶14. Additionally, Deborah Sultan was renting the residence under the Section 8 housing program of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and HUD inspected the residence prior to the Sultan’s moving into it. HUD’S May 5, 1988, inspection revealed no problems with the 1981hot water heater. As part of its annual review process, HUD conducted another inspection on March 30, 1989, six weeks after the incident. HUD again found nothing wrong with the 1981 hot water heater. Although HUD listed a number of needed repairs, none of the repairs related to the 1981 hot water heater or the home’s hot water temperature. Deborah Sultan never complained to HUD inspectors that the water was too hot or that there was anything wrong or defective with the 1981 hot water heater. ¶15. This Court applies a de novo standard of review to a trial court's grant or denial of summary judgment. Hudson v. Courtesy Motors, Inc., 794 So.2d 999, 1002 (Miss. 2001). Our appellate standard for reviewing the grant or denial of summary judgment is the same standard as that of the trial court under Rule 56(c) of the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure, which states that summary judgment shall be granted if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories and admissions on file, together with affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. The burden of demonstrating that no genuine issue of fact exists is on the moving party. However, “when a party opposing summary judgment on a claim or defense as to 6 which that party will bear the burden of proof at trial, fails to make a showing sufficient to establish an essential element of the claim or defense, then all other facts are immaterial, and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Galloway v. Travelers Ins. Co., 515 So.2d 678, 684 (Miss. 1987). Moore has failed to meet that burden here.