FAIRFIELD-SUISUN, CALIFORNIA A toy hoverboard that burst into flames and “severely burned” a California woman has resulted in a major product-liability ruling against Amazon. (Dreamstime/TNS) Consumer Confidential: A hoverboard burst into flames. It could change the way Amazon does business By David Lazarus, Los Angeles Times Should Amazon, which accounts for roughly half of all online sales, be legally and financially responsible for the safety of products sold on the site, including those offered by third parties? Amazon says no. A trio of state Court of Appeal justices in Los Angeles this week said otherwise. “We are persuaded that Amazon’s own business practices make it a direct link in the vertical chain of distribution under California’s strict liability doctrine,” the justices ruled, rejecting Amazon’s claim that its site is merely a platform connecting buyers and sellers.