Court Opinion

ID: 9661077
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 22:28:45.708421+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:14:25.389440
License: Public Domain

ON REHEARING
Appellees on rehearing say that we have usurped the functions of the jury by substituting our findings for the findings of the jury. We have again reviewed the record in this case, but have concluded that we must adhere to our original decision.
Appellees say that the uncontrovert-ed testimony is that the solution itself *780when originally mixed before applying to the hair, was sticky. Even if true that is not the test. The instructions and warnings are unambiguous and explicit. If the hair has been tinted in any way (and Mrs. Langley’s hair had been tinted) a test curl should be made. The test comes after the solution has been applied and the test curl allowed to remain in the rollers for ten minutes. Then if the test hair (not the solution itself) feels sticky the liquid neutralizer should be used at once and the rest of the hair should not be waved.
Mrs. Langley herself testified that she read the instructions and warnings and understood them to mean just what they say. Yet she chose to ignore them in the several particulars, which we detailed in our original opinion.
As to merchantability appellees rely on the general rule that chemical proof that a product is defective is not required — the defective condition of the product may be shown by circumstantial evidence. We do not disagree with appellees’ statement as an abstract proposition of law. But it is not applicable here. If Mrs. Langley had faithfully complied with the written instructions and heeded the written warnings and had nevertheless sustained injury the situation would be different. But no such situation is presented to us.
We do not believe that the strict liability doctrine means that under circumstances such as we have here a consumer may knowingly violate the plain, unambiguous instructions and ignore the warnings, then hold the makers, distributors and sellers of a product liable in the face of the obvious misuse of the product.
Appellees brought their suit on the theory of implied warranty. We agree that the product carried an implied warranty of fitness, but such warranty existed only if the product was used in accordance with directions. The implied warranty did not apply when the product was misused, as it indisputably was in this case.
The McKisson and the Shamrock Fuel & Oil Sales Company cases, relied on by ap-pellees, did not involve a violation of instructions. In fact in the McKisson case no instructions were furnished. In the Shamrock case an adulterated product was involved. In our opinion both of the above cases are distinguishable from this case.
The motion for rehearing is overruled.