Product Liability

  • September 03, 2024

    Minn. AG Asks Cos. To Stop Selling Illicit Vapes

    Minnesota's attorney general wants a promise from players in the tobacco and vape product industry that they will no longer pedal e-cigarette or nicotine pouches not approved by the federal government, warning that "consequences" will follow should they not comply.

  • September 03, 2024

    6th Circ. Revives Suits Over Fatal Kia Optima Crash

    A split Sixth Circuit panel on Tuesday reinstated a pair of suits alleging that a malfunction in the cruise control of a 2008 Kia Optima caused it to accelerate and hit a van, killing the Kia's driver and twin boys in the van, saying the trial court wrongly excluded portions of the plaintiffs' experts' opinions.

  • September 03, 2024

    Calif. Eyes New Heavy-Duty Autonomous Truck Testing Regs

    California is forging ahead with plans to test and deploy more heavy-duty autonomous trucks, at the same time that state lawmakers are seeking to ban autonomous trucks from operating without a human driver behind the wheel.

  • September 03, 2024

    Glenmark Hit With $50M Suit Over Potassium Pill Death

    A proposed class of buyers is suing Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc. for more than $50 million, alleging that the company's extended-release potassium chloride capsules are defective and instead deliver the potassium too fast, which resulted in the death of the lead plaintiff's mother.

  • September 03, 2024

    Pot Co. Stiiizy Hit With New Lawsuit Over High-Potency Wares

    California cannabis giant Stiiizy has been accused again of marketing dangerous, high-potency THC products to young people, allegedly resulting in cannabis-induced psychosis in a user who brought a product liability and fraud suit in Los Angeles state court.

  • August 30, 2024

    McKesson, Others To Pay Benefit Plans $300M In Opioid Deal

    McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health Inc. and Cencora Inc. have agreed to pay a group of benefit plans a combined $300 million to resolve allegations that the drug distributors fanned the flames of the opioid epidemic, according to a filing Friday in Ohio federal court.

  • August 30, 2024

    3M Swept 'Forever Chemicals' Under The Rug, Buyers Say

    3M Co. and two chemical companies sold stain- and dirt-repellents made with so-called forever chemicals to carpet manufacturers without disclosing the health risks posed by the chemicals, which were then installed in millions of homes and businesses, according to a proposed consumer class action filed Friday in Minnesota federal court.

  • August 30, 2024

    Flint Water Firm Wants To Keep PR 'Sideshow' Out Of Trial

    One of the last remaining defendants in Flint water crisis litigation urged a Michigan federal judge to exclude from an upcoming bellwether trial evidence about its public relations efforts, which included an alleged smear campaign against the lawyer for Flint children that led to another attorney getting referred to the California bar.

  • August 30, 2024

    Calif. Legislature OKs Ban On 6 Food Dyes In Public Schools

    California's State Legislature on Thursday passed the nation's first-ever bill aimed at banning public schools in the state from serving foods to children that contain Red 40 and other synthetic food dyes, sending the law to the governor's desk.

  • August 30, 2024

    Flight Training Co. Can't Ditch Crash Liability Suit, Judge Says

    An Illinois federal judge said Friday that a Florida flight training provider must face claims that it negligently trained the crew members who were aboard a Global Air-operated Cubana de Aviación flight that crashed in Cuba in May 2018, killing 113 people.

  • August 30, 2024

    CPSC Warns Against Magnetic Chess Game Over Injury Risk

    The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has warned consumers not to use magnetic chess games sold by a Chinese company called JOMO because the toys pose a risk of injury or death if children swallow the game pieces.

  • August 30, 2024

    Philips Accuses SoClean Of Discovery Delay In CPAP Recall

    Koninklijke Philips NV says SoClean Inc. is unduly delaying claims that the company should contribute to Philips' $1 billion settlement over breathing machine foam by insisting on a wall between discovery materials in two related multidistrict litigations.

  • August 30, 2024

    Insurers Say Honda, Dealership Owe $1M For Auto Fire

    Insurers for a homeowners association and two residents told a New York federal court that Honda and a local dealership must foot the bill for a 2021 vehicle fire that caused property damage and "additional expenses" totaling over $1 million.

  • August 29, 2024

    Jury Clears Ore. Hospital That Implanted FDA-Flagged Mesh

    A state jury cleared an Oregon hospital system and a surgeon of liability Wednesday over a patient's claims that prolapse mesh was implanted almost two weeks after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ordered its maker to stop selling it.

  • August 29, 2024

    Judge Narrows Claims In Mercedes Sunroof Class Action

    A Georgia federal judge has trimmed some claims from a proposed class action accusing Mercedes-Benz of offering vehicles with panoramic sunroofs prone to randomly shattering under normal conditions but allowed several state consumer protection claims, breach of implied warranty and fraudulent concealment claims to continue.

  • August 29, 2024

    Mars Wrigley Must Face False Ad Suit Over 'Real Cheese'

    Snack maker Mars Wrigley could not escape claims it falsely advertised its Cheddar Cheese Combos as being made with "real cheese," after a New York federal judge ruled that consumers' adequately showed they paid a premium for inferior "cheese substitute."

  • August 29, 2024

    Schwab's 'Cash Sweep' Paid For TD Ameritrade Buy, Suit Says

    The Charles Schwab Corp. has been hit with a proposed class action in California federal court by three customers alleging that the investment bank obtains "outsized benefits" from its cash sweep programs and used a significant amount of the cash to finance its $26 billion acquisition of TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. several years ago.

  • August 29, 2024

    Trucker Urges Justices To Back Wide RICO Scope In CBD Case

    A commercial truck driver who alleges he lost his job after consuming products containing THC is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to affirm a Second Circuit ruling that the civil racketeering statute applies to personal injuries when they upset a person's employment.

  • August 29, 2024

    Ill. Judge Overrules Dismissal For 6 Paraquat Cases

    An Illinois federal judge on Wednesday declined to dismiss several cases in multidistrict litigation over the herbicide paraquat, finding that even though counsel didn't fill out questionnaires on time, it was because he was left the sole attorney in the firm after others quit.

  • August 29, 2024

    GM Can't Shake Off Shuddering-Transmission Class

    General Motors must face class allegations that it knowingly sold vehicles with defective transmissions that cause the vehicles to shake and shudder while being driven, a Sixth Circuit panel ruled Wednesday, finding no reason to undo class certification for the drivers.

  • August 29, 2024

    5th Circ. Says Pot Use Doesn't Bar Gun Ownership

    The Fifth Circuit on Wednesday ruled that a federal law barring firearm possession by marijuana users is unconstitutional specifically as it pertains to a nonviolent user who was not actively intoxicated at the time of her encounter with law enforcement.

  • August 28, 2024

    Calif. Assembly OKs 1st-Of-Its-Kind AI Safety Bill

    California lawmakers on Wednesday approved a groundbreaking proposal that would set safety and security standards for large artificial intelligence models.

  • August 28, 2024

    Telegram CEO Indicted In France Over Crimes On Platform

    Paris prosecutors on Wednesday unveiled wide-ranging criminal charges against Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of encrypted messaging-platform Telegram, accusing him of aiding illegal child-pornography, fraud and other crimes and obstructing investigations, and barring him from leaving the country.

  • August 28, 2024

    Mich. Pot Co. Says Court Can Hear Suit Against IP Atty

    A Michigan cannabis company can maintain its lawsuit against an attorney and his wife who it claims badmouthed it on social media, a federal judge ruled, after the business showed the court has jurisdiction over the couple.

  • August 28, 2024

    6th Circ. Frees Mich. City, Mayor From Lead Pollution Suit

    The Sixth Circuit on Wednesday tossed all but one remaining defendant from a proposed class action filed by residents of Benton Harbor, Michigan, over elevated lead levels found in the city's tap water, finding allegations that the mayor misled the public to be vague and conclusory.

Expert Analysis

  • A Plaintiffs-Side Approach To Cochlear Implant Cases

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    As the number of cochlear implants in the U.S. continues to grow, some will inevitably fail — especially considering that many recalled implants remain in use — plaintiffs attorneys should proactively prepare for litigation over defective implants, says David Shoop at Shoop.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Always Be Closing

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    When a lawyer presents their case with the right propulsive structure throughout trial, there is little need for further argument after the close of evidence — and in fact, rehashing it all may test jurors’ patience — so attorneys should consider other strategies for closing arguments, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Series

    Playing Chess Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    There are many ways that chess skills translate directly into lawyer skills, but for me, the bigger career lessons go beyond the direct parallels — playing chess has shown me the value of seeing gradual improvement in and focusing deep concentration on a nonwork endeavor, says attorney Steven Fink.

  • Litigation Inspiration: Attys Can Be Heroic Like Olympians

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    Although litigation won’t earn anyone an Olympic medal in Paris this summer, it can be worthy of the same lasting honor if attorneys exercise focused restraint — seeking both their clients’ interests and those of the court — instead of merely pursuing every advantage short of sanctionable conduct, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.

  • Updated Federal Rules Can Improve Product Liability MDLs

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    The recent amendment of a federal evidence rule regarding expert testimony and the proposal of a civil rule on managing early discovery in multidistrict legislation hold great promise for promoting the uniform and efficient processes that high-stakes product liability cases particularly need, say Alan Klein and William Heaston at Duane Morris.

  • Lean Into The 'Great Restoration' To Retain Legal Talent

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    As the “great resignation,” in which employees voluntarily left their jobs in droves, has largely dissipated, legal employers should now work toward the idea of a “great restoration,” adopting strategies to effectively hire, onboard and retain top legal talent, says Molly McGrath at Hiring & Empowering Solutions.

  • How Cannabis Rescheduling May Alter Paraphernalia Imports

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    The Biden administration's recent proposal to loosen federal restrictions on marijuana use raises questions about how U.S. Customs and Border Protection enforcement policies may shift when it comes to enforcing a separate federal ban on marijuana accessory imports, says R. Kevin Williams at Clark Hill.

  • Boeing Saga Underscores Need For Ethical Corporate Culture

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    In the wake of recent allegations about Boeing’s safety culture, and amid the U.S. Department of Justice’s new whistleblower incentives, business leaders should reinvigorate their emphasis on compliance by making clear that long-term profitability requires ethical business practices, says Maxwell Carr-Howard at Dentons.

  • Why Jurors Balk At 'I Don't Recall' — And How To Respond

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    Jurors often react negatively to a witness who responds “I don’t remember” because they tend to hold erroneous beliefs about the nature of human memory, but attorneys can adopt a few strategies to mitigate the impact of these biases, say Steve Wood and Ava Hernández at Courtroom Sciences.

  • Opinion

    Bankruptcy Judges Can Justly Resolve Mass Tort Cases

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    Johnson & Johnson’s recent announcement of a prepackaged reorganization plan for its talc unit highlights that Chapter 11 is a continually evolving living statute that can address new types of problems with reorganization, value and job preservation, and just treatment for creditors, says Kenneth Rosen at Ken Rosen Advisors PC.

  • How Federal And State Microfiber Pollution Policy Is Evolving

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    Growing efforts to address synthetic microfiber pollution may create compliance and litigation issues for businesses in the textile and apparel industries, so companies should track developing federal and state legislation and regulation in this space, and should consider associated greenwashing risks, says Arie Feltman-Frank at Jenner & Block.

  • An Insurance Coverage Checklist For PFAS Defendants

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    With PFAS liability exposures attracting increased media attention, now is a good time for companies that could be exposed to liability related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances to review existing and past insurance policies, and consider taking proactive steps to maximize their likelihood of coverage, say attorneys at Nossaman.

  • Series

    Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Atop the list of ways fishing makes me a better lawyer is the relief it offers from the chronic stress of a demanding caseload, but it has also improved my listening skills and patience, and has served as an exceptional setting for building earnest relationships, says Steven DeGeorge​​​​​​​ at Robinson Bradshaw.

  • 10 Tips To Build Trust With Your Witness During Trial Prep

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    Preparing a witness for deposition or trial requires more than just legal skills — lawyers must also work to cultivate trust with the witness, using strategies ranging from wearing a hat when conducting mock cross-examination to offering them a ride to court before they testify, say Faye Paul Teller and Sara McDermott at Munger Tolles.

  • Opinion

    It's Time To Defuse The Ticking Time Bomb Of US Landfills

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    After recent fires at landfills in Alabama and California sent toxic fumes into surrounding communities, it is clear that existing penalties for landfill mismanagement are insufficient — so policymakers must enact major changes to the way we dispose of solid waste, says Vineet Dubey at Custodio & Dubey.

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