Definitions.

Sec. 2945.

As used in this section and sections 1629, 2945 to 2949a, and 5805:

"Alteration" means a material change in a product after the product leaves the control of the manufacturer or seller. Alteration includes a change in the product's design, packaging, or labeling; a change to or removal of a safety feature, warning, or instruction; deterioration or damage caused by failure to observe routine care and maintenance or failure to observe an installation, preparation, or storage procedure; or a change resulting from repair, renovation, reconditioning, recycling, or reclamation of the product.

"Drug" means that term as defined in section 201 of the federal food, drug, and cosmetic act, chapter 675, 52 Stat. 1040, 21 U.S.C. 321. However, drug does not include a medical appliance or device.

"Economic loss" means objectively verifiable pecuniary damages arising from medical expenses or medical care, rehabilitation services, custodial care, loss of wages, loss of future earnings, burial costs, loss of use of property, costs of repair or replacement of property, costs of obtaining substitute domestic services, loss of employment, or other objectively verifiable monetary losses.

"Gross negligence" means conduct so reckless as to demonstrate a substantial lack of concern for whether injury results.

"Misuse" means use of a product in a materially different manner than the product's intended use. Misuse includes uses inconsistent with the specifications and standards applicable to the product, uses contrary to a warning or instruction provided by the manufacturer, seller, or another person possessing knowledge or training regarding the use or maintenance of the product, and uses other than those for which the product would be considered suitable by a reasonably prudent person in the same or similar circumstances.

"Noneconomic loss" means any type of pain, suffering, inconvenience, physical impairment, disfigurement, mental anguish, emotional distress, loss of society and companionship, loss of consortium, injury to reputation, humiliation, or other nonpecuniary damages.

"Product" includes any and all component parts to a product.

"Product liability action" means an action based on a legal or equitable theory of liability brought for the death of a person or for injury to a person or damage to property caused by or resulting from the production of a product.

"Production" means manufacture, construction, design, formulation, development of standards, preparation, processing, assembly, inspection, testing, listing, certifying, warning, instructing, marketing, selling, advertising, packaging, or labeling.

"Sophisticated user" means a person or entity that, by virtue of training, experience, a profession, or legal obligations, is or is generally expected to be knowledgeable about a product's properties, including a potential hazard or adverse effect. An employee who does not have actual knowledge of the product's potential hazard or adverse effect that caused the injury is not a sophisticated user.

History: Add. 1978, Act 495, Eff. Dec. 13, 1978; Am. 1995, Act 161, Eff. Mar. 28, 1996; Am. 1995, Act 249, Eff. Mar. 28, 1996