A federal judge in Connecticut has denied a motion by Sears, Roebuck & Co. to dismiss a wrongful death products liability lawsuit stemming from the death of a man crushed by a car while using an allegedly defective Sears’ jack stand.

In his March 29 ruling, Judge Jeffrey Meyer denied Sears’ effort to disallow expert testimony from a witness for the plaintiff, rejected its motion for summary judgment under the Connecticut Products Liability Act, and was unpersuaded by its claims that there were no grounds for punitive damages. The judge also denied a request to be removed from the lawsuit by Shinn Fu Company of America, but dismissed its parent company, Shinn Fu Corp., as a defendant.