Court Reinstates Design Defect Claim in R-22 Refrigerant Case

LOS ANGELES - A California appellate court has reversed a decision to sustain manufacturer defendants' demurrer to a worker's claim of strict liability for design defect, ruling that there is an insufficient basis to apply the sophisticated user defense relied upon by defendant. Johnson v. Honeywell International Inc., No. B210799 (Calif. Ct. App., 2nd Dist.).

California's Second District Court of Appeal said in reinstating the design defect claim on Nov. 19 that the record on appeal did not allow the court to rule at this stage on the complex issues raised by the parties.

William Keith Johnson, a certified heating …