Product Liability

  • May 08, 2024

    Biden Signs Law To Protect Children From Online Exploitation

    President Joe Biden has signed into law a bipartisan bill aimed at curbing online child sex exploitation by strengthening requirements for social media companies and other service providers to report abuse to the nation's centralized reporting system.

  • May 08, 2024

    BIA Tells 8th Circ. Energy Co. Can't Revive Lease Suit

    The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs has asked the Eighth Circuit to uphold a North Dakota federal judge's dismissal of Prima Exploration Inc.'s oil and gas lease termination suit, saying the lower court correctly dismissed the case for failure to exhaust administrative remedies.

  • May 08, 2024

    Hawaii Utility Seeks Exit From Shareholder Suit Over Maui Fire

    Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. has asked a California federal judge to toss an investor suit over a downturn in the company's stock price after a deadly fire broke out on Maui, saying it did not mislead investors about efforts to mitigate fire risk or completely outrule the risk of fire.

  • May 08, 2024

    Conn. Healthcare Facility Owes $13.4M For Patient's Death

    A state trial court judge on Wednesday refused a Connecticut healthcare facility's requests to scuttle a $10 million jury verdict over a patient's death, agreeing to ratchet an estate's victory up to nearly $13.4 million because of interest dating back more than four years.

  • May 08, 2024

    9th Circ. Says Calif. Can Give Gun Buyer Info To Researchers

    The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday declined to revive a constitutional challenge to a California law requiring the state to provide biographical information about firearm purchasers and those with carry-conceal permits to accredited research institutions studying gun violence, saying the information at issue isn't highly personal and doesn't implicate the right to privacy. 

  • May 08, 2024

    Auto Cos. Brace For EV Battery Compliance Hurdles

    New federal regulations aimed at shoring up the domestic electric vehicle manufacturing supply chain give automakers a much-needed two-year cushion to navigate a compliance minefield, and to figure out how to reinvigorate the recent waning consumer demand for electric vehicles.

  • May 08, 2024

    Vape Fluid Co. Urges Justices To Take Up FDA Challenge

    Lotus Vaping Technologies LLC is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its appeal of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's denial of its application to market bottled flavored e-cigarette fluids, saying the case provides an appropriate vehicle to examine the FDA's policies.

  • May 08, 2024

    Kimberly-Clark Blasts 'Illogical' Connecticut PFAS Claims

    Kimberly-Clark Corp. is urging a federal judge to toss a proposed class action brought by three Connecticut residents who argued that the company contaminated private property near its New Milford manufacturing plant with toxic "forever chemicals," calling the allegations "illogical," speculative and incomplete.

  • May 08, 2024

    Mercedes-Benz Hit With Wheel Defect Suit In Ga.

    Mercedes-Benz has been slapped with a proposed class action in Georgia federal court by a sedan owner alleging that a wheel configuration defect in certain sedan models can lead to sudden tire blowouts and cracked rims.

  • May 08, 2024

    NC Court Clerks, Administrators Escape Digital Courts Suit

    Plaintiffs in a proposed class action have voluntarily dropped North Carolina court administrators and clerks from a lawsuit alleging that flaws in the state's electronic court filing system led to unlawful arrests and longer jail stays.

  • May 07, 2024

    DOJ's 'Dr. Doom' Sees AI's Crime-Fighting Abilities, And Risks

    The U.S. Department of Justice is using artificial intelligence to bolster its investigations, including into the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, said U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco on Tuesday at a cybersecurity conference at which she dove into the beneficial uses of AI alongside its threats to security and democracy.

  • May 07, 2024

    AIG Insurers Near Deal With Foam Co. Over MDL Coverage

    Firefighting foam company Tyco Fire Products LP and a group of AIG insurers have reached a tentative settlement that would resolve a dispute over coverage of multidistrict litigation involving Tyco over so-called forever chemicals, according to a notice filed Tuesday in South Carolina federal court.

  • May 07, 2024

    Target Sued Over Citric Acid In Good & Gather Pasta Sauce

    Target has been hit with a putative class action in California federal court by a shopper who alleges the retail giant falsely touts that its line of Good & Gather pasta sauces contain no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives despite containing citric acid.

  • May 07, 2024

    NY Officials Tout Crackdown On Illicit Cannabis Market

    New York state cannabis regulators on Tuesday touted new legislative changes empowering them to more swiftly crack down on unregulated marijuana sales, the same day that New York City officials announced a program to step up enforcement against unlicensed retailers.

  • May 07, 2024

    Boeing Can't Widen Ethiopian Airlines Test Case Pool

    An Illinois federal judge chose six cases Tuesday for a November trial over the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash and gave Boeing the power to decide the order in which they'll face a jury, finding a middle road between sides sparring over how to select the bellwether cases.

  • May 07, 2024

    Contract's 1-Year Limit Doesn't Block NC Mold Claims

    A North Carolina appeals court on Tuesday reinstated a couple's suit against a contractor they say failed to remediate water and mold damage in their house, saying the trial court was wrong to find that the contract's one-year limitation on claims applied to the state's Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

  • May 07, 2024

    Policy Dispute Should Be Heard In Wash., Colo. Judge Says

    A Colorado federal court has tossed an insurer's suit seeking a declaration that it doesn't owe $4 million in coverage to a climbing equipment manufacturer and its primary insurer, finding that a related case in Washington state court provides a better opportunity to resolve the parties' dispute.

  • May 07, 2024

    Fla. Schools And Hospitals Fight To Save Opioid Claims

    Five public hospital districts and two school districts told a Florida appeals court Tuesday that their claims for damages from the opioid crisis should not be eclipsed by the attorney general's settlements with opioid makers and distributors, arguing that she did not have the authority to bring claims on their behalf.

  • May 07, 2024

    Panera To Nix 'Charged' Drink At Center Of Death Suits

    Panera Bread Co. will soon no longer serve its "Charged Lemonade," the caffeinated drink at the center of two lawsuits that claim the restaurant chain is liable for the wrongful death of two patrons.

  • May 07, 2024

    NJ Law Firm Scores Exit In Benicar MDL Fees Suit

    A New Jersey federal judge on Tuesday granted Mazie Slater Katz & Freeman LLC attorneys a quick win in a proposed class action claiming they took excessive fees from plaintiffs' settlements in multidistrict litigation over the blood pressure drug Benicar, ruling the suit alleges identical claims to another suit that has been dismissed.

  • May 07, 2024

    Attys Denied $10M Fees As Family Dollar Deal Is Approved

    A Tennessee federal judge has given final approval to a settlement to end consumer claims stemming from a rodent infestation at a Family Dollar Stores Inc. warehouse, but denied a bid by class counsel for $10 million in fees.

  • May 07, 2024

    Birth Control Cos. Can't Dodge Conn. Injury Suit, Court Told

    An Illinois woman who sued after her Filshie Clip birth control device migrated inside of her and "wreaked havoc on her body" has urged a state court not to let the manufacturers of the device and the seller's parent companies dodge her claims.

  • May 06, 2024

    FAA Says It's Looking Into Boeing 787 Dreamliner Inspections

    The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday that it's looking into whether Boeing completed required inspections of its 787 Dreamliner planes and potentially falsified aircraft records.

  • May 06, 2024

    Sikorsky's Forum Stance In Crash Suit Loses Teeth, Court Told

    A member of the Canadian Armed Forces has decided not to pursue "bystander claims" against Connecticut-based Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. and Lockheed Martin entities over a fatal helicopter crash off the coast of Greece, plaintiffs told a Pennsylvania federal court, noting that the development should pare down a forum dispute plaguing the matter. 

  • May 06, 2024

    Coinbase Operates As Unregistered Broker, Investors Say

    Coinbase and its CEO have been hit with a proposed class action in California federal court alleging the crypto exchange "has been a part of a shadowy crypto ecosystem operating just outside of the law since formed over 10 years ago."

Expert Analysis

  • 5 Things Trial Attorneys Can Learn From Good Teachers

    Author Photo

    Jennifer Cuculich at IMS Legal Strategies recounts lessons she learned during her time as a math teacher that can help trial attorneys connect with jurors, from the importance of framing core issues to the incorporation of different learning styles.

  • Legal Considerations For Circular Economy Strategies

    Author Photo

    As circular economy goals — generating revenue at multiple points in a product's life cycle — become nearly ubiquitous in corporate sustainability practices, companies should reassess existing strategies by focusing on government incentives, regulations, and reporting and disclosure requirements, say Rachel Saltzman and Erin Grisby at Hunton.

  • Opinion

    Insurance Industry Asbestos Reserve Estimates Are Unreliable

    Author Photo

    Insurance regulators rely on industry self-reporting in approving insurance company reorganizations, but AM Best data reveals that actuarial and audit estimates have been setting perniciously low levels of loss reserves for asbestos liabilities and thus should be treated with deep skepticism, says Jonathan Terrell at KCIC.

  • Preempting Bottled Water Microplastics Fraud Claims

    Author Photo

    Food products like bottled water are increasingly likely to be targets of consumer fraud complaints due to alleged microplastics contamination — but depending on the labeling or advertising at issue, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act can provide a powerful preemption defense, say Tariq Naeem and Brenda Sweet at Tucker Ellis.

  • Business Litigators Have A Source Of Untapped Fulfillment

    Author Photo

    As increasing numbers of attorneys struggle with stress and mental health issues, business litigators can find protection against burnout by remembering their important role in society — because fulfillment in one’s work isn’t just reserved for public interest lawyers, say Bennett Rawicki and Peter Bigelow at Hilgers Graben.

  • 5 Ways To Hone Deposition Skills And Improve Results

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
    Author Photo

    Depositions must never be taken for granted in the preparations needed to win a dispositive motion or a trial, and five best practices, including knowing when to hire a videographer, can significantly improve outcomes, says James Argionis at Cozen O'Connor.

  • The Challenges Of Measuring Harm In Slack-Fill Cases

    Author Photo

    A recent California federal court partial class certification ruling was a rare victory for plaintiffs in a case over slack-fill empty space in packaged products, indicating that damages arguments may be important at the certification stage, say Sushrut Jain and Valentina Bernasconi at Edgeworth Economics.

  • Series

    Skiing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    A lifetime of skiing has helped me develop important professional skills, and taught me that embracing challenges with a spirit of adventure can allow lawyers to push boundaries, expand their capabilities and ultimately excel in their careers, says Andrea Przybysz at Tucker Ellis.

  • Opinion

    High Court Should Endorse Insurer Standing In Bankruptcy

    Author Photo

    In Truck Insurance Exchange v. Kaiser Gypsum, the U.S. Supreme Court will examine bankruptcy standing doctrine as applied to insurers in mass tort cases, and should use the opportunity to eliminate spurious standing roadblocks to resolving insurer objections on their merits, says Frank Perch at White and Williams.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Forget Everything You Know About IRAC

    Author Photo

    The mode of legal reasoning most students learn in law school, often called “Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion,” or IRAC, erroneously frames analysis as a separate, discrete step, resulting in disorganized briefs and untold obfuscation — but the fix is pretty simple, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • How Firms Can Ensure Associate Gender Parity Lasts

    Author Photo

    Among associates, women now outnumber men for the first time, but progress toward gender equality at the top of the legal profession remains glacially slow, and firms must implement time-tested solutions to ensure associates’ gender parity lasts throughout their careers, say Kelly Culhane and Nicole Joseph at Culhane Meadows.

  • How Echoing Techniques Can Derail Witnesses At Deposition

    Author Photo

    Before depositions, defense attorneys must prepare witnesses to recognize covert echoing techniques that may be used by opposing counsel to lower their defenses and elicit sensitive information — potentially leading to nuclear settlements and verdicts, say Bill Kanasky and Steve Wood at Courtroom Sciences.

  • Proposed RCRA Regs For PFAS: What Cos. Must Know

    Author Photo

    Two rules recently proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would lead to more per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances being regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and would increase the frequency and scope of corrective action — so affected industries should prepare for more significant cleanup efforts, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • 7 Common Myths About Lateral Partner Moves

    Author Photo

    As lateral recruiting remains a key factor for law firm growth, partners considering a lateral move should be aware of a few commonly held myths — some of which contain a kernel of truth, and some of which are flat out wrong, says Dave Maurer at Major Lindsey.

  • Series

    Cheering In The NFL Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Balancing my time between a BigLaw career and my role as an NFL cheerleader has taught me that pursuing your passions outside of work is not a distraction, but rather an opportunity to harness important skills that can positively affect how you approach work and view success in your career, says Rachel Schuster at Sheppard Mullin.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Product Liability archive.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!