Appeals court says Amazon can be sued over defective third-party items

A federal appeals court says Amazon can be held liable for defective items sold by third parties, The Hill reports.

This decision came as part of a case in which a woman, Heather Oberdorf, sued Amazon over a defective dog leash she says blinded her in one eye. Oberdorf bought the leash on Amazon through a third-party vendor that she says she hasn't been able to contact. Previously, a Pennsylvania district court ruled in Amazon's favor, deciding that the company wasn't legally the seller, The Verge reports.

On Wednesday, however, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals took Oberdorf's side in a 2-1 decision, deciding that Amazon can be held liable for these products. Previously, two federal appeals courts had said Amazon can't be liable for third party purchases, Reuters reports, noting that the Wednesday decision specifically concerns Pennsylvania law. Circuit Judge Jane Richards Roth said that Amazon allows third parties to "conceal" themselves from customers, who are left with "no direct recourse." CNBC reports that more than half of Amazon's e-commerce revenue comes from third-party vendors.

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