Opinion ID: 1771239
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: liability of touro

Text: Touro Infirmary sold five units of blood to Marna Shortess, which were contaminated with non-A/non-B hepatitis. A distributor of blood is strictly liable in tort when blood he places on the market creates an unreasonable risk of harm to others and, in fact, results in injury or disease to a human being. DeBattista v. Argonaut-Southwest Ins. Co., 403 So.2d 26 at 32 (La.1981). Touro is liable for the hepatitis disease contracted by Marna Shortess. [5] After remand, [6] Weber v. Charity Hospital of La. at New Orleans, 487 So.2d 148 (La.App. 4 Cir.1986) held that Charity Hospital, which administered blood in a closed system, charging for the blood and the service, was not strictly liable for defects in the blood. Weber is contrary to DeBattista, supra; Toups v. Sears Roebuck and Co., Inc., 507 So.2d 809 (La.1987); Faucheaux v. Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation, 470 So.2d 878 (La.1985); and Chappuis v. Sears Roebuck & Co., 358 So.2d 926 (La.1978). The responsibility of a professional vendor or distributor is the same as that of a manufacturer. The Court of Appeal opinion in Weber is overruled.