Opinion ID: 2450730
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Bohnert's Contention

Text: Bohnert claims that it was not strictly liable under Section 402A of the Restatement of the Law of Torts 2d which provides that a seller is subject to liability only if the product is expected to and does reach the user or consumer without substantial change in the condition in which it is sold. Bohnert also calls our attention to the caveat to Section 402A which declares that the American Law Institute expresses no opinion concerning whether 402A applies to the seller of a product expected to be processed or otherwise substantially changed before it reaches the user or consumer, or to the seller of a component part of a product to be assembled. Bohnert would have us conclude that the component parts it sold were substantially changed by assembly into a whole in a manner over which they had no control. Bohnert and Cleveland actually stand in the posture of distributor and manufacturer. Comment p. of Section 402A provides: It seems reasonably clear that the mere fact that the product is to undergo processing, or other substantial change, will not in all cases relieve the seller of liability under the rule stated in this Section. . . . The question is essentially one of whether the responsibility for discovery and prevention of the dangerous defect is shifted to the intermediate party who is to make the changes. The factual situation here appears to us to make it evident that the responsibility could not have been shifted to take Bohnert and Cleveland out of the scope of the strict liability theory of Section 402A. The intermediate parties neither added to nor subtracted from the original product involved. The crane was installed and remained exactly as its manufacturer, designer and seller had envisioned. As will be subsequently demonstrated, Bohnert was in no event entitled to a directed verdict. Bohnert's liability depends upon a jury's assessment of the adequacy of the warning Bohnert undertook to give after the defective character of the crane became known. We agree with the Court of Appeals that Bohnert was not entitled to a directed verdict and affirm the decision in this respect.