Product Liability—Some Ounces of Prevention

The responsibility of design and/or manufacturing engineers in the performance of their work to minimize the possibility of becoming involved in a product liability suit is discussed from the viewpoint of a professional engineer, not an attorney. Procedures for fully documenting design and production data are discussed with suggested chronological steps for recording and filing information applicable to an original design of a product and subsequent changes made therein. The scope of the paper encompasses discussion of the necessity for accurate and complete documentation, safety considerations, conduct of an engineer when his deposition is being taken and his relationship to his attorney. Emphasized is the vital importance of documentation to the corporation's attorney when he is preparing the defense against a lawsuit.