Overview
- The 9–0 decision overturns an appeals-court ruling that treated suicide as a superseding cause barring negligence claims.
- The justices said a jury must assess foreseeability and whether Amazon exercised reasonable care in operating its marketplace.
- The ruling addresses appeals by four families within a broader set of 28 lawsuits tied to deaths in 2020–2021 after ingestion of 98%–99.6% sodium nitrite.
- Plaintiffs allege inadequate warnings and say Amazon’s site recommended related items, including a scale, an acid-reducing medication, and a book on suicide methods, with products centered on Loudwolf and HiMedia.
- Amazon said it disagrees with the ruling, expressed condolences, and noted a current policy prohibiting sales of sodium nitrite above 10% purity while emphasizing the chemical’s lawful uses.