r/AttorneyTom•
_guac

Hypothetical Product Design Idea: Could I get sued?

It depends

**tl;wr--**I make an alarm clock that someone ends up getting someone shot due to a false alarm. How free am I of liability?

Long version

As a product designer, I notice that a lot of people really want to sleep in longer than they set their alarms for, but at the same time people need to get up at the time they set their alarms for so they're not late. If I want to give someone the satisfaction of choosing when they get up via a snooze button while still getting them up at about the right time, how would I implement that? The answer is simple: the snooze button plays a little noise/script.

For example, I hit the snooze button on this alarm clock, and suddenly it sounds like there's construction on my street (in the distance) after a minute, so now I'm "forced" to get up because the construction noise is too much to keep me asleep. Or a garbage truck. Or an in-home burglary.

With the last example, I think people would be very compelled to wake up, which is why I think it would be good to include. Like, you hit the snooze and the "robbers" have a discussion like "Dude is somebody home?" "What do you mean?" "They just turned off their alarm... I think someone's awake!" "Bro, everyone hits the snooze, he probably just did that. Let's keep going."

If someone woke up to this and was compelled to get out of bed and walk around the house to make sure things were okay, they'd be awake for sure. So good plan. BUT what if they're a gun owner that takes the gun downstairs while getting their cell phone they left there and they accidentally shoot their already-awake wife? Or what if they call the police on a false alarm? If I really want to leave in that script, what kind of trouble would I be in?

Posted Oct 20, 2021, 3:25 PM UTC

175
d2020ysf•

Not a lawyer, but the fact that you're posting this as the creator means you see the problems that can arise from this. It is forseeable that bad things will happen becuase of this.

You, my good redditor, are the reason Tom has a job...

Take it out like you know you should.

11
theDarkar96•

Or keep it in so he can meet Tom

3
_guacOP•

I mean, I'm definitely not going to make something like this, but you make a good point. Probably best not to ask things that you already know the answer to.

Guess I was just curious about the possible legal ramifications for something like this being on the market (if it were, I can't find evidence that it is).

3
christophertstone•

Not a lawyer, but no need to worry about any of this because nobody would buy that.

The problems you outlined are clearly foreseeable. However, if the product comes with clear and conspicuous designation of the "features" (and potentially a warning of the foreseeable scenarios), a purchaser assumes the reasonably disclosed liabilities. There are crazy dangerous things sold every day (explosives, guns, etc).

3
Mrchrisw4•

Question for the question does it reduce your possibility of liability if you make the voices more ridiculous? ... Like very clearly SpongeBob and Patrick?

2