h00chman

I am a hobbiest woodworker... and an attorney. I agree with ibdegen and others who stated that each lawsuit is unique, and without reading the transcripts and briefs, it is impossible to know which issue was adjudged in the trial.

That said, it is preposterous to me to think a claim would succeed on the sole basis of not including flesh detection technology in their product. If the claimant wanted to have that technology in his saw, he should have purchased a SawStop (a $3000 saw compared to a $500 saw!).

Personally, the table saw is my most used -- and most feared -- tool in my shop. I retrofitted a riving knife to my saw as a precaution to help, I repeat "help", prevent kickback. And while I have pondered the thought of purchasing a SawStop at some point because of the technology, in my mind, I weighed the factors of the inconvenience of having to change the cartridge every time I changed from a dado to a cutting blade and vice-versa. I chose the side of convenience and am sticking with a riving knife, cross cutting sled, and other jigs that help prevent kickback and keep my fingers away from the blade.

Power tools are inherently dangerous. Knowingly using one, a person must accept that fact.