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2018 Georgia Code 51-1-25 | Car Wreck Lawyer

TITLE 51 TORTS

Section 1. General Provisions, 51-1-1 through 51-1-55.

51-1-25. Furnishing of wrong article or medicine by vender of drugs and medicines.

If a vender of drugs and medicines, by himself or his agent, either knowingly or negligently furnishes the wrong article or medicine and damage accrues to the purchaser, his patients, his family, or his property from the use of the drug or medicine furnished, the vender shall be liable for the injury done.

(Orig. Code 1863, § 2947; Code 1868, § 2954; Code 1873, § 3005; Code 1882, § 3005; Civil Code 1895, § 3866; Civil Code 1910, § 4462; Code 1933, § 105-1103.)

Cross references.

- Pharmacists and pharmacies generally, § 26-4-1 et seq.

Law reviews.

- For article, "Liability for Vaccine Injury: The United States, the European Union, and the Developing World," see 67 Emory L.J. 415 (2018). For note, "Does the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Compensation Act Really Prohibit Design Defect Claims?: Examining Federal Preemption in Light of American Home Products Corp. v. Ferrari," see 26 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 617 (2010).

JUDICIAL DECISIONS

Codification of common-law duty.

- O.C.G.A. § 51-1-25 does nothing more than codify, with respect to vendors of drugs and medicines, the general common-law duty of all persons to exercise reasonable care and diligence to avoid injuring others. Sparks v. Kroger Co., 200 Ga. App. 135, 407 S.E.2d 105 (1991).

Druggist impliedly warrants that article druggist sells is article called for, and is liable for breach of such warranty for injury resulting in giving the purchaser the wrong article. Watkins v. Jacobs Pharmacy Co., 48 Ga. App. 38, 171 S.E. 830 (1933).

Legal doctrine caveat emptor should in cases of vendors of drugs be caveat vendor. Watkins v. Jacobs Pharmacy Co., 48 Ga. App. 38, 171 S.E. 830 (1933).

Knowledge of defect or negligence by supplier essential to action.

- With respect to the sale of specified articles intended for human consumption or use, either knowledge of the defect or negligence by the seller is an essential element. Lovett v. Emory Univ., Inc., 116 Ga. App. 277, 156 S.E.2d 923 (1967).

Professional malpractice.

- When a vendor of drugs or medicines is a licensed pharmacist and is sued on the basis of allegations that the pharmacist negligently dispensed the wrong drug in filling a medical prescription, the claim against the pharmacist clearly is for professional malpractice. Sparks v. Kroger Co., 200 Ga. App. 135, 407 S.E.2d 105 (1991).

There is nothing in O.C.G.A. § 51-1-25 which would obviate the need for compliance with O.C.G.A. § 9-11-9.1, which requires an affidavit to accompany a charge of professional malpractice. Sparks v. Kroger Co., 200 Ga. App. 135, 407 S.E.2d 105 (1991).

Cited in Lewis v. Brannen, 6 Ga. App. 419, 65 S.E. 189 (1909); Jacobs Pharmacy Co. v. Gipson, 116 Ga. App. 760, 159 S.E.2d 171 (1967).

RESEARCH REFERENCES

Am. Jur. 2d.

- 63 Am. Jur. 2d, Products Liability, § 570 et seq. 63A Am. Jur. 2d, Products Liability, §§ 1067, 1133, 1138. 63B Am. Jur. 2d, Products Liability, §§ 1919, 1920.

C.J.S.

- 28 C.J.S., Drugs and Narcotics, § 40 et seq.

ALR.

- Liability of druggist for injury in consequence of mistake, 31 A.L.R. 1336; 44 A.L.R. 1482.

Liability of druggist for punitive damages, 31 A.L.R. 1362.

Civil liability of pharmacist who fills accurately an improper prescription or one calling for an unusual dose, 80 A.L.R. 452.

Liability of manufacturer or seller for injury caused by drug or medicine sold, 79 A.L.R.2d 301.

Hospital's liability for negligence in connection with preparation, storage, or dispensing of drug or medicine, 9 A.L.R.3d 579.

Malpractice: doctor's liability for mistakenly administering drug, 23 A.L.R.3d 1334.

Druggist's civil liability for suicide consummated with drugs furnished by him, 58 A.L.R.3d 828.

Liability of manufacturer or seller for injury or death allegedly caused by failure to warn regarding danger in use of vaccine or prescription drug, 94 A.L.R.3d 748.

Promotional efforts directed toward prescribing physician as affecting prescription drug manufacturer's liability for product-caused injury, 94 A.L.R.3d 1080.

Druggist's civil liability for injuries sustained as result of negligence in incorrectly filling drug prescriptions, 3 A.L.R.4th 270.

Liability of pharmacist who accurately fills prescription for harm resulting to user, 44 A.L.R.5th 393.

Cases Citing O.C.G.A. § 51-1-25

Total Results: 20  |  Sort by: Relevance  |  Newest First

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Atlanta Oculoplastic Surgery, P.C. v. Nestlehutt, 691 S.E.2d 218 (Ga. 2010).

Cited 59 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Mar 22, 2010 | 286 Ga. 731, 2010 Fulton County D. Rep. 874

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Tyler v. Lincoln, 527 S.E.2d 180 (Ga. 2000).

Cited 50 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Feb 28, 2000 | 272 Ga. 118, 2000 Fulton County D. Rep. 819

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Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. v. Gault, 627 S.E.2d 549 (Ga. 2006).

Cited 44 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Mar 13, 2006 | 280 Ga. 420, 2006 Fulton County D. Rep. 711

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Aldworth Co., Inc. v. England, 637 S.E.2d 198 (Ga. 2006).

Cited 41 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Oct 30, 2006 | 281 Ga. 197

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Williams Gen. Corp. v. Stone, 614 S.E.2d 758 (Ga. 2005).

Cited 40 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jun 16, 2005 | 279 Ga. 428, 2005 Fulton County D. Rep. 1850

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Mdc Blackshear, LLC v. Littell, 537 S.E.2d 356 (Ga. 2000).

Cited 32 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Oct 23, 2000 | 273 Ga. 169, 2000 Fulton County D. Rep. 3946

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Lyman v. Cellchem Int'l, Inc., 300 Ga. 475 (Ga. 2017).

Cited 22 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jan 23, 2017 | 796 S.E.2d 255

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Carter v. Progressive Mountain Ins., 295 Ga. 487 (Ga. 2014).

Cited 18 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jul 11, 2014 | 761 S.E.2d 261

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Taylor, Exr. v. The Devereux Found., Inc. (& Vice Versa), 885 S.E.2d 671 (Ga. 2023).

Cited 11 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Mar 15, 2023 | 316 Ga. 44

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Reid v. Morris, 845 S.E.2d 590 (Ga. 2020).

Cited 10 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jun 29, 2020 | 309 Ga. 230

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Holland v. Caviness, 292 Ga. 332 (Ga. 2013).

Cited 10 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jan 22, 2013 | 737 S.E.2d 669, 2013 Fulton County D. Rep. 101

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Coen v. Aptean, Inc., 838 S.E.2d 860 (Ga. 2020).

Cited 9 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Feb 10, 2020 | 307 Ga. 826

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In re Est. of Gladstone, 814 S.E.2d 1 (Ga. 2018).

Cited 9 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | May 7, 2018

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in Re Est. of Gladstone, 303 Ga. 547 (Ga. 2018).

Cited 7 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | May 7, 2018

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Ford Motor Co. v. Cosper, 317 Ga. 356 (Ga. 2023).

Cited 5 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Sep 19, 2023

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May v. Crane Bros., Inc., 576 S.E.2d 286 (Ga. 2003).

Cited 5 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Mar 3, 2003 | 276 Ga. 280, 2003 Fulton County D. Rep. 788

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Whitaker Farms, LLC v. Fitzgerald Fruit Farms, LLC, 908 S.E.2d 531 (Ga. 2024).

Cited 4 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Oct 31, 2024 | 320 Ga. 208

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Barking Hound Vill., LLC v. Monyak, 299 Ga. 144 (Ga. 2016).

Cited 4 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jun 6, 2016 | 787 S.E.2d 191

P&J Beverage Corp. v. the Bottle Shop, LLC (Ga. 2025).

Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Aug 12, 2025 | 787 S.E.2d 191

Carter v. Progressive Mountain Ins. (Ga. 2014).

Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jul 11, 2014 | 787 S.E.2d 191