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Products Liability When Consumers Vary in Their Susceptibility to Harm and May Misperceive Risk

Author

Listed:
  • Thomas J. Miceli

    (University of Connecticut)

  • Kathleen Segerson

    (University of Connecticut)

  • Suo Wang

    (University of Connecticut)

Abstract
This paper examines products liability when consumers have private information about their susceptibilities to product-related harm. In this case, it is efficient for consumers to self-select in their purchases, with those especially prone to harm refraining from purchase. Achieving this outcome requires consumers to bear their own harm, given that producers cannot observe consumer types. When consumers also misperceive risk, the problem becomes more complicated because accurate signaling of risk requires that firms bear liability. A trade-off therefore emerges between imposing liability on firms versus consumers. This paper characterizes the choice among liability rules in the presence of this trade-off.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas J. Miceli & Kathleen Segerson & Suo Wang, 2013. "Products Liability When Consumers Vary in Their Susceptibility to Harm and May Misperceive Risk," Working papers 2013-15, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:uct:uconnp:2013-15
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Tsvetanov, Tsvetan & Miceli, Thomas J. & Segerson, Kathleen, 2021. "Products liability with temptation bias," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 186(C), pages 76-93.
    2. Baumann, Florian & Friehe, Tim, 2021. "Products liability, consumer misperceptions, and the allocation of consumers to firms," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    3. Eric Langlais & Andreea Cosnita-Langlais & Tim Friehe, 2024. "Product Liability Influences Incentives for Horizontal Mergers," EconomiX Working Papers 2024-10, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
    4. Baumann, Florian & Friehe, Tim & Rasch, Alexander, 2016. "Why product liability may lower product safety," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 55-58.
    5. Jeong-Yoo Kim, 2024. "Law and Economics of Artificial Intelligence: Optimal Liability Rules for Accident Losses Caused by Fully Autonomous Vehicles," Korean Economic Review, Korean Economic Association, vol. 40, pages 49-75.
    6. Tim Friehe & Christoph Rößler & Xiaoge Dong, 2020. "Liability for Third-Party Harm When Harm-Inflicting Consumers Are Present Biased," American Law and Economics Review, American Law and Economics Association, vol. 22(1), pages 75-104.
    7. Christoph Rössler & Tim Friehe, 2020. "Liability, morality, and image concerns in product accidents with third parties," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 50(2), pages 295-312, October.
    8. Andrzej Baniak & Peter Grajzl, 2016. "Controlling Product Risks when Consumers Are Heterogeneously Overconfident: Producer Liability versus Minimum-Quality-Standard Regulation," Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE), Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 172(2), pages 274-304, June.
    9. Baumann, Florian & Rasch, Alexander, 2020. "Product liability and reasonable product use," ZEW Discussion Papers 20-071, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    10. Andrzej Baniak & Peter Grajzl, 2014. "Controlling Product Risks when Consumers are Heterogeneously Overconfident: Producer Liability vs. Minimum Quality Standard Regulation," CESifo Working Paper Series 5003, CESifo.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Products liability; negligence; strict liability; consumer misperceptions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K13 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Tort Law and Product Liability; Forensic Economics
    • L15 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Information and Product Quality

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