Amazon Faces Burn Suit Claiming Its Safety Effort Fell Short (1)

A burned woman may proceed with claims that Amazon.com Inc. announced “proactive safety measures” for its web marketplace, yet recruited unreliable sellers and continued to offer a dangerous heating pad after a user reported an overheating incident, a federal court in Texas ruled.

Patrice Williams’ current claims don’t depend on Amazon being classified as a “seller” of goods posted by third parties. Instead, she alleges the e-commerce giant negligently undertook safety-related services for users of its website, according to the court.

Williams adequately alleged that Amazon undertook a duty to her, that she relied on the undertaking, and that the ...