Amazon must face lawsuits brought by families of relatives who took their own lives by a chemical bought on the online retailer’s platform, the Washington Supreme Court has ruled.
The justices rejected a lower court’s ruling that the families could not pursue negligence claims under a Washington state product liability law, because suicide was a superseding cause of their relatives’ deaths.
Four families accused Amazon of promoting the sale of the chemical on its website, alongside other products that could assist people in carrying out suicides.
They said the Seattle-based retailer has known of the link between the chemical and suicide for years yet continued to sell the product without restrictions.
Amazon and its lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The court was unanimous in its ruling.
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If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
