Opinion ID: 1747271
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: product misuse

Text: Negligent conduct in the form of product misuse has also been recognized as a discrete defense in the context of a strict liability claim. See Restatement (Second) of Torts § 402A, cmt. h (1965). [2] In 1976, this Court adopted the principles of strict liability in tort under section 402A of the Restatement (Second) of Torts and held that product misuse was simply a type of negligence that may be asserted as a defense. See West v. Caterpillar Tractor Co., 336 So.2d 80 (Fla. 1976), answer to certified question conformed to, 547 F.2d 885 (5th Cir.1977); cf. Creviston v. General Motors Corp., 225 So.2d 331, 334 (Fla. 1969) (recognizing product misuse as defense in products liability claim based on breach of warranty). In West, we delineated the type of conduct by a claimant that could be asserted as a defense in a strict liability action: We recognize that contributory negligence of the user or consumer or bystander in the sense of a failure to discover a defect, or to guard against the possibility of its existence, is not a defense. Contributory negligence of the consumer or user by unreasonable use of a product after discovery of the defect and the danger is a valid defense. Prior to the adoption of the comparative negligence doctrine, a plaintiff's conduct as the sole proximate cause of his injuries would constitute a total defense. The defendant manufacturer may assert that the plaintiff was negligent in some specified manner other than failing to discover or guard against a defect, such as assuming the risk, or misusing the product, and that such negligence was a substantial proximate cause of the plaintiff's injuries or damages. The fact that plaintiff acts or fails to act as a reasonable prudent person, and such conduct proximately contributes to his injury, constitutes a valid defense... . We now have comparative negligence, so the defense of contributory negligence is available in determining the apportionment of the negligence by the manufacturer of the alleged defective product and the negligent use made thereof by the consumer. The ordinary rules of causation and the defenses applicable to negligence are available under our adoption of the Restatement rule. If this were not so, this Court would, in effect, abolish the adoption of comparative negligence. Id. at 90 (citations omitted; emphasis added). Although stated in the context of strict liability law, these observations make it clear that we have treated product misuse as a form of comparative negligence.