Hodges v. Superior Court
Supreme Court of California · 1999
21 Cal.4th 109, pp. 111–113
Reviewed by Andrew (Andy) R. Gillin
California State Bar #45226 ↗ · Approval recorded November 4, 2026
How we record review approvalWhat brought the case to court?
An uninsured driver was injured in a rear-end crash. He sued the car maker on the ground that an unsafe design caused his injuries.
The question before the court
Did the Prop 213 damage limit apply to that unsafe-design claim against the car maker?
What the court decided
The court held that the limit did not apply in that products-liability setting. The ruling did not remove the limit for all claims against careless drivers.
Where the rule has limits
That is not the rule for every crash claim. A claim based on careless driving needs its own review.
Read the actual decision
Hodges v. Superior Court — full opinion ↗
Legal review is recorded above.
Questions this decision helps explain
Court decisions have distinct facts. Read the opinion and the qualifications in each guide before applying a rule to a different situation.