Victor Glassey v. Continental Insurance

This case comes to the court on certification from the court of appeals pursuant to sec. (Rule) 809.61, Stats. The plaintiff-appellant, Victor Glassey, appeals from a judgment of the circuit court dismissing, on its merits, his strict products liability claim against the defendant-respondent, The DeVilbiss Company. We conclude, as did the circuit court, that a strict products liability action cannot be maintained against a manufacturer when the product has undergone substantial and material changes after leaving the control of the manufacturer. We affirm. The court of appeals certified the following issue to this court: