The Washington Post has an article about the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, a law which
prohibits suits against gun dealers and manufacturers “for the harm caused by those who criminally or unlawfully misuse firearm products.” It applies not only to federal courts, but also actions at the state and local levels.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
According to The Washington Post, the law has been used to successfully block lawsuits by families of victims, including suits against gun manufacturers for the way in which the guns are designed. The law will make it difficult for the victims and families of Sandy Hook to make claims against the gun manufacturer. At least one mother of a victim is claiming that the manufacturer of the gun used to kill the victims of Sandy Hook should have installed a safety device, called a biometric lock, which could have prevented the gun from being used by Lanza, since that device would prevent a gun from being fired by anyone other than its licensed owner.
In a press release issued when President George W. Bush signed this law, the NRA indicated that the purpose of the law was
ending politically motivated lawsuits designed to bankrupt law-abiding American firearm manufacturers and retailers.
http://www.nra.org/...
And in discussing their efforts to get this law passed, in that same press release the NRA indicated:
"What we witness today is the culmination of a seven-year effort that included a comprehensive legislative and election strategy," stated Chris W. Cox, NRA’s chief lobbyist. "We worked hard to change the political landscape to pass this landmark legislation
http://www.nra.org/...
In discussing this law, The Washington Post noted that with this law, the gun industry has protections available to it that are not given to other industries.
The liability exemption sets firearms apart from nearly every other industry. . . . Legal scholars say the breadth of the protections granted to the gun industry is rare for consumer product manufacturers.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
Whether or not you believe in these types of lawsuits against products, it seems only fair that the gun dealers and gun manufacturers should be held to the same standards that apply to other industries. That they are not is an indication of the tremendous amount of power that the NRA has had in this country.