Valk Manufacturing Company v. Rangaswamy

A snowplow hitch manufactured by Valk (defendant), featuring a steel arm extending 29 inches beyond a dump truck's front, penetrated Dr. Rangaswamy's car during a collision and killed him; his family (plaintiffs) sued Valk in strict liability for defective design, presenting expert testimony that the design was unreasonably dangerous and that an available quick-disconnect hose would have let users easily remove the hitch when not plowing. The jury, instructed on the risk-utility test, found for the Rangaswamys, and Valk appealed.