A panel of judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit had to decide whether Amazon had liability for a defective product sold on its website. (Photo: Shutterstock)
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has affirmed a district court's decision rejecting an insurance company's subrogation action against Amazon.com, Inc., finding that Amazon was not the seller of an allegedly defective product on its website and, therefore, that Amazon could not be held liable under Maryland products liability law for the damage the product allegedly caused.
The Case
Trung Cao, a Maryland resident, purchased a headlamp on Amazon's website and then gave it as a gift to friends who lived in Maryland. The document evidencing the transaction stated that the headlamp was "sold by: Dream Light" and "Fulfilled by: Amazon."
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Steven A. Meyerowitz
Steven A. Meyerowitz, a Harvard Law School graduate, is the founder and president of Meyerowitz Communications Inc., a law firm marketing communications consulting company. He may be contacted at [email protected].
