Legal Definitions - Boyle defense

The Boyle defense is also known as the government-contractor defense. It is a legal defense that can be used by contractors who are sued for injuries or damages caused by products they made for the government. The defense argues that the contractor was following the government's specifications and therefore cannot be held liable for any harm caused by the product.

For example, if a company makes a faulty airplane part for the military and the part causes a crash, the company may use the Boyle defense to argue that they were simply following the government's specifications and cannot be held responsible for the crash.

Another example is if a company produces a vaccine for the government and the vaccine causes harm to individuals who receive it. The company may use the Boyle defense to argue that they were following the government's requirements for the vaccine and cannot be held liable for any harm caused.

These examples illustrate how the Boyle defense can protect contractors from liability when they are producing products for the government. It is important to note that the defense only applies if the contractor was following the government's specifications and did not deviate from them.