The Nebraska Supreme Court has ruled that dealers must inspect used vehicles for safety defects and either make repairs or warn potential buyers.

In a decision issued Friday, the high court says an "as is" sticker does not absolve dealers of their duty to look out for public safety.

The ruling overturned in part a lower court's decision that freed Woodhouse Ford Inc. from liability for injuries caused when a van it had sold shifted out of park and ran over a woman.

The Supreme Court says that while Woodhouse sold the van "as is" and disclaimed all warranties, the eastern Nebraska dealership may have been negligent for not inspecting the van for safety defects. It ordered the case back to the lower court for trial.