Yet another reason to pass restrictions on law suits against gun makers

The D.C. Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that gunmakers can be sued for shootings in the District that are carried out with a broad range of automatic weapons. . . .

Courts across the country have rejected nuisance and negligence claims against the gun industry, but the District's Assault Weapon Manufacturing Strict Liability Act added another element to the city's case that is keeping it alive. Passed in 1990, the law makes the manufacturer, dealer or importer of any assault weapon or machine gun strictly liable for the damages arising from injuries or deaths resulting from the firearm's discharge in the District.

The first paragraph makes it appear as if the law only applied to machine guns, but it isn't clear until the fourth paragraph that this includes "assaul weapons." Unfortunately, the reporter and much of his readership may not realize that so-called assault weapons are the equivalent of hunting rifles.