Our legal system typically imposes liability for money damages only upon a showing that a person was negligent (i.e., failed to use due care) or somehow intended to bring about an injury or damage to another.

The doctrine of strict liability imposes legal responsibility for injuries sustained by or as a result of an actor's conduct, whether or not the actor used reasonable care and regardless of the actor's state of mind. Strict liability cases are limited to certain narrowly-defined areas of the law, including the following:

• products liability
• ultrahazardous activities
• care of animals
• certain statutory offenses

Products liability suits are probably the most familiar strict liability cases. These include claims for injuries resulting from the defective design or manufacture of consumer products. A plaintiff need not show that the manufacturer was negligent in designing or manufacturing the product; a successful plaintiff need only show that the product was in fact defective in design or manufacture, rendering it unreasonably dangerous and the cause of injury.

Strick liability of product liability would not apply to the owner of a tool unless the owner was also the manufacturer.

This response is general in nature and is not legal advice. No attorney client relationship is formed by it. Further, the response does not represent the opinions or views of LexisNexis or its affiliated companies.