Under what circumstances may liability be avoided according to product liability rules?

In the context of product liability, a manufacturer or seller may avoid liability if the product was modified after the sale. This principle is rooted in the idea that once a product leaves the manufacturer's control, any subsequent modifications made by the user or another party can create risk factors that the original manufacturer could not have anticipated or controlled. Therefore, if a product is altered in a way that contributes to a failure or injury, the responsibility for that failure may shift away from the original manufacturer or seller.

By identifying modifications made post-sale as a potential factor for avoiding liability, the legal framework acknowledges that changes in a product's condition can impact its safety and functionality. Thus, if a significant or unsafe modification was made by the user, it may absolve the manufacturer from liability for damages related to that modification.

This approach underscores the importance of maintaining manufacturer responsibility for the product as sold and preserving the integrity of the liability framework by holding parties accountable for decisions made after the point of sale.