Product Liability

  • July 22, 2026

    Kratom Cos. Must Face Conn. OD Liability Claims, Father Says

    The maker of the Whole Herbs brand of kratom products shouldn't be allowed to trim a lawsuit claiming it's partially liable for the overdose death of a 33-year-old man, the man's father has told a Connecticut state court, saying his suit sufficiently pled all claims and that "there is no such thing as 'good kratom.'"

  • July 22, 2026

    RI Guardrail Builder Sued Over Conn. Woman's Fatal Crash

    A Rhode Island construction contractor installed defective and "unreasonably dangerous" guardrails on Interstate 95 in Connecticut, which caused a 34-year-old woman to die in a collision and car fire, her estate said in a wrongful death lawsuit filed in Connecticut state court Monday.

  • July 22, 2026

    Insurer Sanctioned For Destroying Opioid Coverage Evidence

    An Illinois federal court Wednesday sanctioned an insurer in a drug wholesaler's suit seeking coverage for underlying opioid litigation, finding that the carrier intentionally destroyed key emails and underwriting records in order to deprive the wholesaler of that information.

  • July 22, 2026

    Altria, Juul Ask 9th Circ. To Nix Antitrust Classes

    Altria and Juul are urging the Ninth Circuit to undo a class certification ruling in an antitrust case over Altria's past investment in the e-cigarette maker, saying the classes include disparate groups of purchasers from across the country.

  • July 22, 2026

    Cessna Maker Wants Cockpit Recording For Fatal Crash Case

    Textron Aviation Inc. wants a Connecticut state judge to order the National Transportation Safety Board to release a two-hour-long cockpit voice recording from a Cessna airplane that crashed into an industrial campus shortly after takeoff, saying the full recording is necessary for fair trials in wrongful death and insurance disputes.

  • July 22, 2026

    10th Circ. Nixes Tractor Injury Verdict Over 'Obvious' Hazard

    The Tenth Circuit has reversed a jury verdict that favored a farmer who was run over by his own tractor, finding the tractor maker had no duty to warn him of the "open and obvious" hazard of getting out of, and stepping in front of, a moving tractor.

  • July 21, 2026

    Economist Concedes Opioid Stats' Limits In Albertsons Trial

    Despite testifying that Albertsons pharmacy records suggest some opioids dispensed in Washington state had "red flags" for potential diversion from legitimate use, an economist for the Evergreen State conceded Tuesday that he can't point to "even a single pill dispensed by Albertsons" that was actually improperly diverted. 

  • July 21, 2026

    Truck Bound By Pact Not To Sue Arbitrator, NY Judge Says

    A New York federal judge refused to remove a "side-switching" arbitrator from a dispute over coverage for millions of dollars' worth of asbestos bodily injury claims, ruling that Truck Insurance Exchange's lawsuit is barred under a "hold harmless" pact it inked with the counterparty, a group of foreign reinsurers.

  • July 21, 2026

    DC Circ. Backs Nuclear Plant Enviro Review Rules

    The D.C. Circuit on Tuesday upheld the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's updated rules for renewing nuclear power plant licenses, rejecting arguments from antinuclear groups that the rules don't adequately account for climate change risks.

  • July 21, 2026

    Nike's Discounts Based On Phony Reference Prices, Suit Says

    Nike was slapped with a proposed class action in California federal court on Tuesday that accuses it of hawking bogus discounts and savings on footwear and other goods sold online by displaying reference prices that don't reflect the actual prevailing market prices. 

  • July 21, 2026

    Class Cert. In Avandia MDL Undone For Lacking Stats

    The Third Circuit undid class certification for a group of health plans claiming GlaxoSmithKline deceptively marketed its diabetes drug Avandia, with a panel majority ruling Tuesday the plans needed stronger statistical analysis to show links between the marketing, the revelation of side effects and a drop in sales.

  • July 21, 2026

    Norfolk Southern Sued Over Worker's Lung Cancer Diagnosis

    A former track laborer claims Norfolk Southern caused his lung cancer after exposing him to carcinogenic chemicals, including benzene, for decades, according to a Pennsylvania state court lawsuit that could be "the first in a wave" filed by former railroad workers, plaintiffs' counsel said.

  • July 21, 2026

    18 State AGs Sue EPA Over Hydrofluorocarbons Rollback

    Eighteen Democratic attorneys general and the city of New York filed a petition with the D.C. Circuit Tuesday over a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule they argue will weaken federal limits on hydrofluorocarbons, which are refrigerants used in air conditioning and cooling systems.

  • July 21, 2026

    High Court Ruling Doesn't Impact Pipeline Fight, 9th Circ. Told

    California and environmental groups have told the Ninth Circuit that a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision clarifying federal arbitration jurisdictional lines has no bearing on their lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's assertion of jurisdiction over an in-state oil pipeline system.

  • July 21, 2026

    High Court To Hear Alaskan Pilot Plane Forfeiture Case

    The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review a case in which the Alaska Supreme Court held that a pilot must forfeit his $95,000 plane to the state for transporting a six-pack of beer in a dry village.

  • July 21, 2026

    Mich. Panel Revives Forklift Injury Suit Against Meijer

    A warehouse worker whose leg was crushed between a forklift and a metal desk at a Meijer Inc. distribution center can proceed with his negligence suit after a Michigan appellate panel ruled a jury must decide whether faulty brakes, inadequate maintenance or his own actions caused the accident. 

  • July 21, 2026

    Smucker's Says It Didn't Claim 'Only' Splenda On Fudge Label

    The J.M. Smucker Co. is asking a New York federal court to throw out a proposed class action alleging that it misleads consumers by claiming its fudge topping is "Sweetened with Splenda," despite it using other sweeteners, saying the label never claims that Splenda is the only sweetener.

  • July 21, 2026

    Judge Wary Of Philly Firm's Uber, FedEx Antitrust Claims

    A Pennsylvania federal judge on Tuesday appeared doubtful that Uber and FedEx engaged in anticompetitive conduct when they accused Philadelphia injury firm Simon & Simon of a medical records falsification scheme meant to boost injury claims, pointing out during a hearing that the companies and the firm operated different types of businesses.

  • July 21, 2026

    Nintendo Seeks Game Over For Tariff Refund Class Suit

    A proposed class action looking to force Nintendo to reimburse customers for increased costs that were explicitly tied to President Donald Trump's now struck-down tariff regime should be handled in arbitration or tossed entirely, the company told a Seattle federal court.

  • July 21, 2026

    Wash. Tribe, Enviro Org. Say FERC Hydro Delay Imperils Sites

    A Washington tribe and an environmental group are asking the Ninth Circuit to deny a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission bid to hold a challenge against the agency's issuance of a hydroelectric license in abeyance, arguing that it won't stop the project from moving toward construction that will destroy resources.

  • July 21, 2026

    4th Circ. Asks SC Justices To Weigh In On Heater Death Suit

    The Fourth Circuit has certified a question to the South Carolina Supreme Court in a suit alleging the defective design of a propane heater led to the death of a man using it, asking the justices to determine if adequate labeling precludes a defect claim under state law.

  • July 20, 2026

    Albertsons Data Suggests Opioids Were Diverted, Expert Says

    Albertsons pharmacies in Washington state received considerably more opioid medications from distributors between 2009 and 2015 than the company reported dispensing — a sign of potential diversion, according to an expert witness who testified Monday at a bench trial in Washington's lawsuit accusing the chain of exacerbating the state's opioid crisis.

  • July 20, 2026

    Boeing Sues To Stop Cameroon Airlines' 1995 Crash Claims

    Boeing launched a lawsuit in Washington federal court on Friday accusing now-defunct Cameroon Airlines of wrongfully demanding $179 million in damages for a deadly 737 crash in 1995, saying the airline's jet purchase deal bars such claims and the African country did not fault Boeing in the accident investigation.

  • July 20, 2026

    Int'l Standards Preserve QLED False Ad Suit Against Hisense

    Hisense USA Corp. can't pull the plug on a proposed class action accusing it of falsely advertising its high-definition televisions as having QLED technology, a California federal judge has ruled, saying the buyers have sufficiently pled their case by leaning on articles and international standards.

  • July 20, 2026

    Uber Decries Punitive-Damages Bid Ahead Of Sex Assault Trial

    Ahead of a third bellwether trial in multidistrict litigation over alleged sexual assaults by Uber drivers, the company has asked a Texas federal judge to toss a bid for punitive damages, saying state law doesn't allow punitive damages for third-party criminal conduct.

Expert Analysis

  • Key False Claims Act Trends From The Last Year

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    The False Claims Act remains a powerful enforcement tool after some record verdicts and settlements in 2025, and while traditional fraud areas remain a priority, new initiatives are raising questions about its expanding application, says Veronica Nannis at Joseph Greenwald.

  • Reel Justice: 'Die My Love' And The Power Of Visuals At Trial

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    The powerful use of imagery to capture the protagonist’s experience of postpartum depression in “Die My Love” reminds attorneys that visuals at trial can persuade jurors more than words alone, so they should strategically wield a new federal evidence rule allowing for illustrative aids, says Veronica Finkelstein at Wilmington University.

  • Opinion

    It's Too Soon To Remove Suicide Warnings From GLP-1 Drugs

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    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's decision this month to order removal of warnings about the risk of suicidal thoughts from GLP-1 weight-loss drugs is premature — and from a safety and legal standpoint, the downside of acting too soon could be profound, says Sean Domnick at Rafferty Domnick.

  • Series

    Hosting Exchange Students Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Opening my home to foreign exchange students makes me a better lawyer not just because prioritizing visiting high schoolers forces me to hone my organization and time management skills but also because sharing the study-abroad experience with newcomers and locals reconnects me to my community, says Alison Lippa at Nicolaides Fink.

  • FDA's 2025 Enforcement Scorecard Highlights Data Focus

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    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's increased enforcement activity in 2025 was driven by artificial intelligence and a focus on foreign manufacturers, necessitating proactive compliance strategies for an environment that is increasingly reliant on data, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

  • How A 1947 Tugboat Ruling May Shape Work Product In AI Era

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    Rapid advances in generative artificial intelligence test work-product principles first articulated in the U.S. Supreme Court’s nearly 80-year-old Hickman v. Taylor decision, as courts and ethics bodies confront whether disclosure of attorneys’ AI prompts and outputs would reveal their thought processes, say Larry Silver and Sasha Burton at Langsam Stevens.

  • Navigating Privilege Law Patchwork In Dual-Purpose Comms

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    Three years after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to resolve a circuit split in In re: Grand Jury, federal courts remain split as to when attorney-client privilege applies to dual-purpose legal and business communications, and understanding the fragmented landscape is essential for managing risks, say attorneys at Covington.

  • 5 Advertising Law Trends That Will Shape 2026

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    The legal landscape for advertisers will grow only more complex this year, with ongoing trends including a federal regulatory retreat, more aggressive action by the states, a focus on child privacy and expanded scrutiny of "natural" claims, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

  • Series

    Fly-Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Much like skilled attorneys, the best anglers prize preparation, presentation and patience while respecting their adversaries — both human and trout, says Rob Braverman at Braverman Greenspun.

  • 4 Ways GCs Can Manage Growing Service Of Process Volume

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    As automation and arbitration increase the volume of legal filings, in-house counsel must build scalable service of process systems that strengthen corporate governance and manage risk in real time, says Paul Mathews at Corporation Service Co.

  • Series

    The Law Firm Merger Diaries: Forming Measurable Ties

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    Relationship-building should begin as early as possible in a law firm merger, as intentional pathways to bringing people together drive collaboration, positive client response, engagements and growth, says Amie Colby at Troutman.

  • 5 E-Discovery Predictions For 2026 And Beyond

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    2026 will likely be shaped by issues ranging from artificial intelligence regulatory turbulence to potential evidence rule changes, and e-discovery professionals will need to understand how to effectively guide the responsible and defensible adoption of emerging tools, while also ensuring effective safeguards, say attorneys at Littler.

  • Streamlining Product Liability MDLs With AI And Rule 16.1

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    With newly effective Rule 16.1 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure providing enhanced guidance on multidistrict litigation and the sophistication of artificial intelligence continuing to advance, parties have the opportunity to better confront the significant data challenges presented by product liability MDLs, say attorneys at Hollingsworth.

  • Series

    Judges On AI: How Courts Can Boost Access To Justice

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    Arizona Court of Appeals Judge Samuel A. Thumma writes that generative artificial intelligence tools offer a profound opportunity to enhance access to justice and engender public confidence in courts’ use of technology, and judges can seize this opportunity in five key ways.

  • Opinion

    The Case For Emulating, Not Dividing, The Ninth Circuit

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    Champions for improved judicial administration should reject the unfounded criticisms driving recent Senate proposals to divide the Ninth Circuit and instead seek to replicate the court's unique strengths and successes, says Ninth Circuit Judge J. Clifford Wallace.

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