Manufacturers Back Product Liability Bill; Senate To Review

The bill's future in the Senate is uncertain. But manufacturers are squarely behind a measure that passed the House earlier this month that would limit a manufacturer's responsibility for product liability to 18 years. The bill, similar to legislation that Congress passed six years ago for the small-aircraft industry, would prevent someone from filing a lawsuit arguing that the product was defective, if the incident occurred 18 years after it was delivered to the first purchaser. Exempt from the legislation are commercial aircraft, automobiles, and any product where the manufacturer offers a lifetime warranty.