Are product liability lawsuits anti entreprenueurs?

Ateneo Professor on Entrepreneurship

From Point of Law.com | 2012 

I just watched at the Fox news about a interview with lawyer about product liability lawsuits and how they discourage business in USA.  The most recent was Blitz USA which had to close shop, and lay off 117 employees.  Blitz makes gas container tanks and there had been numerous accidents involving fires from the gasoline container (they build fires from gasoline poured from the gasoline container; which is is a no-no.  Naturally fires jump into the container and cause explosions.)

The sympathetic juries awarded millions of dollars to the litigants, and naturally Blitz went belly up.

Thus when Sandy struck, the supermarkets ran out of gas tanks because Blitz had been closed.  Now consumers have to use Igloo or milk containers to get their gasoline.. which is a more dangerous method.  

At the time of closing, Blitz had 42 cases pending before it. (From Fox news)

It was remarked by the host that it is no wonder that Lyme disease vaccines and HIV vaccines are not produced because of the litiginous nature of the US consumers/legal system.

Are these litigation cost being passed on to consumers (Fox News says it is about $1,000 per every consumers and lawyers have a field day)

Do you agree?

Or manufacturers have to be conscious of safety and their liability (and torts?)

Is this driving away manufacturers away offshore because of this?