Smith v. Ariens Co.

How courts have described this case

Verbatim parenthetical descriptions written by other courts when citing this decision. Ranked by citation-network relevance.

• holding that manufacturer may be liable for design defects that enhance rather than cause injuries
• concluding that design defect of unshielded metal protrusions on snowmobile handlebar could be demonstrated by snowmobile itself without expert testimony
• holding that “[i]t is within the knowledge of a jury whether unshielded metal protrusions on the handle bar of a snowmobile constitute a defect in design which creates an unreasonable risk of harm”
• explaining that a plaintiff alleging injury caused by negligent design of snowmobile must prove defendant manufactured same
• determining that jurors could rely on their everyday experience to decide whether a snowmobile was negligently designed
• approving reasoning in Larsen v. General Motors Corp., 391 F.2d 495 (8th Cir.1968) that enhanced or second collision injuries are foreseeable as incidental to normal use of certain products and therefore negligence principles impose liability for such injuries

Source: CourtListener parenthetical corpus (CC0).