Opinion ID: 522962
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Instruction on Unreasonableness of the Limitation of Remedy Provision

Text: 16 Instruction No. 12 4 provided that limitation of warranty or remedy provisions are inoperative if they are unreasonable when construed in conjunction with a description of the goods. Monsanto argues that this instruction is a summary of S.D. Codified Laws Ann. Sec. 57A-2-316(1) (1980) 5 and that this subsection applies only to disclaimers of warranty, not to limitations of remedy. 17 Even if we agreed with Monsanto that the district court erred in its instruction, a premise with which we do not agree for reasons not necessary for us to discuss, the error was harmless. If the jury complied with the instruction and determined that the limitation of remedy clause was inconsistent with the description of the goods, presumably limitations on remedy were erased from the minds of the jury. However, as our preceding discussion indicates, the trial court should have already stricken the limitation of remedy provision since it was unconscionable as a matter of law. Therefore, no harm was done. Thus, we conclude that the district court did not commit prejudicial error in giving Instruction No. 12. 18