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Product Liability
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June 07, 2024
Uber Targets Most Calif., Texas Claims In Driver Assault MDL
Uber urged a California federal judge Friday to toss the majority of claims from plaintiffs in California and Texas in multidistrict litigation seeking to hold the ride-hailing company liable for drivers' sexual assaults, saying it can't be held responsible for the actions of individual drivers under those state's laws.
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June 07, 2024
Ozempic MDL Gets New Judge After Judge Pratter's Death
The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation on Thursday reassigned sprawling litigation over Ozempic and similar drugs in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania following the sudden death of U.S. District Judge Gene E.K. Pratter, who'd been overseeing the MDL.
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June 07, 2024
Ill. Panel Revives Contribution Claim Over Tainted Cilantro
An Illinois state appellate panel has revived a bid by a distributor of contaminated cilantro to have wholesalers contribute to any liability in litigation over the tainted product, saying the distributor did not have to comply with pre-suit notice requirements that would otherwise have applied to the case.
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June 07, 2024
Split 9th Circ. Revives LA Schools Vaccine Policy Row
A split Ninth Circuit panel on Friday reversed a California federal court's dismissal of a proposed class action challenging a recently rescinded Los Angeles Unified School District policy requiring employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine to keep their jobs, ruling that the district still has the potential to reinstate it.
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June 07, 2024
'Why Are You Even Here?' Judge Prods Big Tobacco
A Washington state appellate panel on Friday criticized Philip Morris USA Inc. and other tobacco companies for attempting to pay the state less under a 1998 master settlement agreement, with one judge asking a Big Tobacco attorney why they were in court in the first place.
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June 07, 2024
Texas Farmers Sue EPA For 'Forever Chemical' Contamination
Five Texas farmers have told a D.C. federal court that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency should have done more to stop "forever chemicals" from contaminating their farmland, claiming that they've suffered medical problems from the exposure.
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June 07, 2024
US Auto Regulator Finalizes New Fuel Economy Standards
The U.S. Department of Transportation on Friday finalized highly anticipated new fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks that envision boosting average efficiency to 50.4 miles per gallon by 2031, marking the Biden administration's latest climate-focused endeavor to curb emissions in the transportation sector.
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June 07, 2024
FCA, Cummins' $6M Engine Defect Deal Gets OK'd
A Michigan federal judge gave the go-ahead Friday to a $6 million settlement to resolve claims that Cummins Inc. made defective engines that went into FCA US LLC's Dodge Ram vehicles. FCA, now part of Stellantis NV, was once better known as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV.
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June 07, 2024
Texas AG, Spirit AeroSystems Duel Over Safety Probe
Spirit AeroSystems Inc. and Texas Attorney General Kenneth Paxton each asked a federal court for an early win in their dispute over the state's probe into Spirit's management, with Spirit arguing the state's Request to Examine statute violates the Fourth Amendment, and Paxton arguing it is a constitutionally compliant subpoena.
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June 07, 2024
Dreamland Falsely Touts Safe Weighted Swaddle, Parent Says
Dreamland Baby Co. "boldly markets" its weighted swaddles and blankets as pediatrician-approved and safe for babies and toddlers, but medical associations and government regulators have condemned these kinds of weighted products as being harmful, according to a proposed class action filed Thursday in California federal court.
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June 07, 2024
Court Software Co., NC Sheriff Fight To Exit Civil Rights Action
Texas-based software company Tyler Technologies and a North Carolina sheriff continued their push this week to escape a proposed class action alleging North Carolina's new digital court system led to wrongful arrests and extended jail time.
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June 07, 2024
Uber Can Arbitrate With Paralyzed Rider, Mass. Justices Rule
Massachusetts' highest court on Friday ruled Uber Technologies Inc. had made its terms of service clear enough to move a paralyzed rider's case to arbitration, despite a dissent from one justice who said the company should spell out the rights that riders surrender when they hail a car.
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June 06, 2024
Roundup MDL Judge Worries Plaintiffs Firms Overstretched
A California federal judge presiding over multidistrict personal injury litigation over Monsanto's Roundup weed killer expressed concerns Thursday that plaintiffs firms may be taking on "a whole bunch of cases" they don't have the ability to prosecute just to settle "on the cheap," calling the prospect "a little bit disturbing."
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June 06, 2024
Real Water Caused 'Devastating' Hospitalizations, Jury Told
A mother whose twin babies were hospitalized with acute liver failure after the family subscribed to water delivery service Real Water told a Nevada state jury Thursday that the experience was "devastating."
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June 06, 2024
Wash. High Court Will Review Gun Magazine Law
The Washington state Supreme Court said Thursday it will review a trial court ruling that the state's ban on sales of large-capacity magazines for firearms is unconstitutional.
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June 06, 2024
Pharma Co. Misled Investors On Seizure Drug Trial, Suit Says
Marinus Pharmaceuticals has been hit with a proposed shareholder class action alleging that the company understated the risks of an epilepsy drug trial and did not warn investors that trial enrollment would be suspended when it failed to meet certain criteria.
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June 06, 2024
Camp Lejeune Deals Worth $14.4M So Far, Government Says
There have been 58 settlements worth a total of $14.4 million so far in a North Carolina federal court alleging injuries caused by decades-long water contamination at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune between February 2023 and June 4, according to a joint status report filed by the two sides.
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June 06, 2024
$25 Million Flint Water Class Deal Gets Early OK
A Michigan federal judge on Thursday gave initial approval for a $25 million settlement between a class of Flint adults and businesses and a water engineering company accused of prolonging the town's water crisis, calling the deal fair and an opportunity to avoid years of "exhausting" litigation.
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June 06, 2024
Victims Say Chiquita Paramilitary Payments Weren't Extortion
Attorneys for the families of people killed by right-wing paramilitaries in Colombia's banana-producing region asked jurors Thursday for an amount totaling tens of millions of dollars in damages as they closed out their Florida federal case against Chiquita, arguing the company willingly funded paramilitary groups.
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June 06, 2024
Alaska Air Passengers Refile Suit Over Boeing Blowout
A group of passengers who were on an Alaska Airlines Inc. flight when a door plug blew out during a Jan. 5 flight have refiled their claims against the airline, Boeing Co. and Spirit AeroSystems Inc. in federal court — days after voluntarily dismissing their state court suit.
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June 06, 2024
Prof Can Test NC State Building For Carcinogens
A split state appeals court has granted a former North Carolina State University employee stricken by cancer access to gather evidence in a campus building that studies showed contained cancer-causing materials.
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June 06, 2024
Co. Won't Face Defect Claims In Suit Over Lost Fingers
A worker who lost her fingers after her right hand was pulled into an industrial laminating machine won't get the chance to add design defect claims to her lawsuit against the manufacturer, a Texas federal judge has ruled, saying she squandered her opportunity to investigate those claims.
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June 06, 2024
5th Circ. Backs Chevron In La. Drilling Contamination Fight
The Fifth Circuit on Thursday reversed a lower court ruling directing Chevron to submit a plan to clean up Louisiana properties allegedly contaminated by oil and gas development, saying that state law only requires the company to look for potential damage.
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June 06, 2024
EPA To Reevaluate Widely Used Toxic Chemical Under TSCA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a rule to limit the use of a chemical found in hundreds of products from paint to cleaning products that has been linked to miscarriages, reduced male fertility and other health issues.
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June 06, 2024
Abbott Labs Must Face Bulk Of Glucerna False Ad Suit
A California federal judge won't free Abbott Laboratories from a proposed class action over its Glucerna shakes, saying the complaint plausibly alleges that the labeling would mislead consumers about the health aspects of the drinks.
Expert Analysis
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5 Climate Change Regulatory Issues Insurers Should Follow
The climate change landscape for insurers has changed dramatically recently — and not just because of the controversy over the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's climate-related risk disclosure rules, says Thomas Dawson at McDermott.
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Series
Swimming Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Years of participation in swimming events, especially in the open water, have proven to be ideal preparation for appellate arguments in court — just as you must put your trust in the ocean when competing in a swim event, you must do the same with the judicial process, says John Kulewicz at Vorys.
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What 100 Federal Cases Suggest About Changes To Chevron
With the U.S. Supreme Court poised to overturn or narrow its 40-year-old doctrine of Chevron deference, a review of 100 recent federal district court decisions confirm that changes to the Chevron framework will have broad ramifications — but the magnitude of the impact will depend on the details of the high court's ruling, say Kali Schellenberg and Jon Cochran at LeVan Stapleton.
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Manufacturers Should Pay Attention To 'Right-To-Repair' Laws
Oregon’s recently passed "right-to-repair" statute highlights that the R2R movement is not going away, and that manufacturers of all kinds need to be paying attention to the evolving list of R2R statutes in various states and consider participating in the process, says Courtney Sarnow at Culhane.
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How Cos. Can Comply With New PFAS Superfund Rule
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's new rule designating two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances as "hazardous substances" under the Superfund law will likely trigger additional enforcement and litigation at sites across the country — so companies should evaluate any associated reporting obligations and liability risks, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.
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Ill. Justices' Ruling Answers Corporate Defamation Questions
The Illinois Supreme Court's recent unanimous decision in Project44 v. FourKites provides needed certainty and direction for lower courts considering defamation cases involving communications to corporate officers from third parties outside the corporation, which could result in fewer unwarranted motions to dismiss in trial courts and nonmeritorious appeals, says Phillip Zisook at Schoenberg Finkel.
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Tylenol MDL Highlights Expert Admissibility Headaches
A New York federal court's decision to exclude all plaintiff experts in a multidistrict litigation concerning prenatal exposure to Tylenol highlights a number of expert testimony pitfalls that parties should avoid in product liability and mass tort matters, say Rand Brothers and Courtney Block at Winston & Strawn.
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Don't Use The Same Template For Every Client Alert
As the old marketing adage goes, consistency is key, but law firm style guides need consistency that contemplates variety when it comes to client alert formats, allowing attorneys to tailor alerts to best fit the audience and subject matter, says Jessica Kaplan at Legally Penned.
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Series
Walking With My Dog Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Thanks to my dog Birdie, I've learned that carving out an activity different from the practice of law — like daily outdoor walks that allow you to interact with new people — can contribute to professional success by boosting creativity and mental acuity, as well as expanding your social network, says Sarah Petrie at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.
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Could 'General Average' Apply To The Key Bridge Crash?
While the owner and operator of the vessel that struck Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge have sought legal protection under the Limitation of Liability Act, they could choose to invoke the long-standing principle of general average, if supported by the facts of the crash and the terms of their contracts with cargo owners, says Julie Maurer at Husch Blackwell.
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Think Like A Lawyer: Follow The Iron Rule Of Trial Logic
Many diligent and eager attorneys include every good fact, point and rule in their trial narratives — spurred by the gnawing fear they’ll be second-guessed for leaving something out — but this approach ignores a fundamental principle of successful trial lawyering, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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Breaking Down EPA's Rule On PFAS In Drinking Water
Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized the first enforceable federal drinking water regulation for PFAS, which, along with reporting and compliance requirements for regulated entities, will have a number of indirect effects, including increased cleanup costs and the possible expansion of existing Superfund sites, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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The Art Of Asking: Leveraging Your Contacts For Referrals
Though attorneys may hesitate to ask for referral recommendations to generate new business, research shows that people want to help others they know, like and trust, so consider who in your network you should approach and how to make the ask, says Rebecca Hnatowski at Edwards Advisory.
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Wave Of Final Rules Reflects Race Against CRA Deadline
The flurry of final rules now leaping off the Federal Register press — some of which will affect entire industries and millions of Americans — shows President Joe Biden's determination to protect his regulatory legacy from reversal by the next Congress, given the impending statutory look-back period under the Congressional Review Act, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.
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'Beauty From Within' Trend Poses Regulatory Risks For Cos.
Companies capitalizing on the current trend in oral supplements touting cosmetic benefits must note that a product claim that would be acceptable for an externally applied cosmetic may draw much stronger scrutiny from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration when applied to a supplement, say Natalie Rainer and Katherine Staba at K&L Gates.