Who owes a duty to foreseeable plaintiffs in negligence-based product liability?

Enhance your Bar Exam preparation with Themis Bar Exam Quiz. Use hints and multiple choice questions to sharpen your understanding. Excel in your Bar Exam!

In negligence-based product liability, the duty to exercise reasonable care extends to everyone who puts a product into circulation. That means not only the manufacturer but every commercial seller in the chain—retailers, wholesalers, distributors, and suppliers—has a duty to ensure the product is safe, properly manufactured, labeled, and, if needed, accompanied by warnings. If a defective product injures a foreseeable plaintiff, those in the distribution chain who failed to exercise reasonable care can be held liable. Since harm can arise from defects anywhere along the chain, the duty isn’t limited to one role; it applies to all commercial sellers and manufacturers.