Iowa Code Title XV. Judicial Branch and Judicial Procedures [Chs. 595-686] § 668.12. Liability for products--defenses

1. In any action brought pursuant to this chapter against an assembler, designer, supplier of specifications, distributor, manufacturer, or seller for damages arising from an alleged defect in the design, testing, manufacturing, formulation, packaging, warning, or labeling of a product, a percentage of fault shall not be assigned to such persons if they plead and prove that the product conformed to the state of the art in existence at the time the product was designed, tested, manufactured, formulated, packaged, provided with a warning, or labeled.

2. Nothing contained in subsection 1 shall diminish the duty of an assembler, designer, supplier of specifications, distributor, manufacturer, or seller to warn concerning subsequently acquired knowledge of a defect or dangerous condition that would render the product unreasonably dangerous for its foreseeable use or diminish the liability for failure to so warn.

3. An assembler, designer, supplier of specifications, distributor, manufacturer, or seller shall not be subject to liability for failure to warn regarding risks and risk-avoidance measures that should be obvious to, or generally known by, foreseeable product users. When reasonable minds may differ as to whether the risk or risk-avoidance measure was obvious or generally known, the issues shall be decided by the trier of fact.

4. In any action brought pursuant to this chapter against an assembler, designer, supplier of specifications, distributor, manufacturer, or seller for damages arising from an alleged defect in packaging, warning, or labeling of a product, a product bearing or accompanied by a reasonable and visible warning or instruction that is reasonably safe for use if the warning or instruction is followed shall not be deemed defective or unreasonably dangerous on the basis of failure to warn or instruct. When reasonable minds may differ as to whether the warning or instruction is reasonable and visible, the issues shall be decided by the trier of fact.