Amazon Wrongful Death Suit Back On The Table

Back in March of 2015, the Stiner family filed a suit against Amazon for their role in the death of Logan Stiner. According to the suit, Logan was looking for pre-workout supplements on the Amazon website. Thanks to Amazon analytic’s, it matched Logan with “Hard Rhino’s pure caffeine.” A workout supplement meant to increase energy and performance. This product ended up killing Logan. Upon the coroner’s examination, they determined he died of cardiac arrhythmia and a seizure due to acute caffeine toxicity. Amazon and six other countries were found violating Ohio’s Food and drug safety laws, however, the Stiner case against Amazon was dismissed. The court ruled that Amazon could not have done anything to make sure the product was safe.

Fast Forward

Now on July 2nd, the Stiner’s filed a motion for reconsideration. This is after the 6th Circuit found Amazon was indeed responsible for the damage done to a families house when a hoverboard they sold caught on fire. Showing that the 6th Circuit court rejects the lower courts opinion that Amazon had no power to stop the sale of this dangerous product. In a statement, the Stiner family said: “The record, in this case, is replete with evidence that Amazon had the knowledge and capacity to keep the deadly caffeine powder off its website.”

In their filing, they also pointed out that the Third Circuit panel held that online marketplaces can be liable for defective products. Even if they are products from third parties. That case involved a defective dog collar that left a woman blind in one eye.

That leaves us where we are today. The Ohio Supreme Court agreed on Tuesday to reconsider the Stiner’s case. Given the current precedents set by the 6th and 3rd Circuit Courts, it doesn’t look like Amazon will win this case.

Injured by a Companies Negligence? Contact The Law Giant

At Begum Law Group Injury Lawyers, we understand how traumatic and dangerous certain products can be. That’s why we are committed to helping victims recover compensation through product liability lawsuits. If you or a loved one has been hurt by a product, contact our firm today at (866) 523-4167 to schedule a free, initial evaluation of your case.