Product Liability

  • October 07, 2026

    BMW Beats X5 Transmission Defect Suit, For Now

    BMW defeated, for now, a proposed class action alleging it knew about a transmission component defect causing some of its cars to jerk and shudder when driving but refused cover repair costs, after a New Jersey federal judge said Wednesday the allegations are insufficient to infer BMW knew about any defect.

  • October 07, 2026

    Family Tells 5th Circ. Penske Can't Evade Crash Liability

    The family of a man killed in a Texas collision said a Fifth Circuit panel faithfully followed federal law when it revived its lawsuit alleging freight broker and trucking giant Penske is vicariously liable for the 2018 accident, and en banc review before the full court is unwarranted.

  • October 07, 2026

    Vape Group, Makers Want In On FDA E-Cig Enforcement Suit

    A vape industry group and a pair of manufacturers are asking a Maryland federal court to let them intervene on the side of the federal government in a suit by health groups challenging new guidance on enforcement priorities for new tobacco products.

  • October 07, 2026

    Roblox Says Suicide Suit Must Be Arbitrated Or Dismissed

    Roblox Corp. is asking a Kentucky federal judge to send to arbitration a mother's suit alleging her teenage daughter died by suicide as a result of using the platform, saying both the child and her parents repeatedly agreed to an arbitration clause in its terms of service, and that it is immune from liability for third-party content.

  • October 06, 2026

    EPA's Climate Retreat Sidelined As Justices Weigh State Torts

    The Trump administration's recent moves renouncing its authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions appear unlikely to sway the U.S. Supreme Court in deciding whether state and local governments can pursue climate change lawsuits against fossil fuel companies, attorneys say.

  • October 06, 2026

    Roundup Expert Admits EPA Clear On Overall Lack Of Harm

    A toxicologist testifying in the latest Roundup trial acknowledged Tuesday that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's exhaustive 2017 review of glyphosate science found that the balance of the evidence didn't support a link between glyphosate and human cancer.

  • October 06, 2026

    Tesla Defect Sparked Garage Fire, Insurer Says

    Tesla Inc. has been hit with product liability claims in Illinois state court by an insurer looking to recoup the money it paid a policyholder whose Model X was deemed a total loss after an electrical defect caused the vehicle to catch file while charging.

  • October 06, 2026

    Travelers Says Silica Exclusions Bar Toxin Suits Coverage

    The insurer Travelers has urged a California federal court to dismiss a case alleging it improperly denied coverage to a tile and slab distributor for more than 450 personal injury and wrongful death suits, saying the policies bar coverage for injuries related to the underlying toxin exposure allegations.

  • October 06, 2026

    7th Circ. Told Boeing Investors Fail 'Comcast' Cert. Test

    The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is among those backing Boeing's call to the Seventh Circuit to overturn class certification in a case accusing the aerospace firm of misleading investors about the safety of its 737 Max fleet, arguing that the certification is dependent on a damages model that the U.S. Supreme Court and Fourth Circuit have rejected.

  • October 06, 2026

    GM Faces Class Claims Over SUV Brake Systems

    Certain 2025 Chevrolet, GMC and Buick vehicles have defective master brake cylinder assemblies that can fail suddenly, causing severe safety hazards, according to a proposed class action brought against General Motors LLC in Pennsylvania federal court Tuesday.

  • October 06, 2026

    'Where's The Quinoa?' Mars Customer's False Ad Suit Asks

    Mars Foods misrepresents that one of its Seeds of Change rice and quinoa products is primarily made with quinoa, when the ingredients list shows quinoa is actually less than 2% of the product, a proposed false advertising class action alleges in California federal court.

  • October 06, 2026

    Quill & Arrow Says Ford Fee Fraud Claims Lack Details

    Quill & Arrow LLP has urged a California federal judge to reject Ford Motor Co.'s lawsuit alleging the personal injury firm saddled it with high-priced legal bills for work purportedly handled by overseas virtual assistants or nonlawyers, saying the automaker offers little evidence to support its rehashed claims.

  • October 06, 2026

    Ariz. Tribe Seeks Emergency Stop To Border Wall In DC Circ.

    The Tohono O'odham Nation is asking the D.C. Circuit for an emergency injunction pending appeal to block construction of a border wall on its Arizona reservation, telling the appellate court that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security intends to start construction as early as Monday.

  • October 06, 2026

    Texas Justices To Review Law Firms' Paxil Fees Fight

    The Texas Supreme Court has agreed to wade into a battle between two law firms over fees generated from litigation involving the antidepressant Paxil, with the dispute centering on application of the personal injury exemption in the state's anti-SLAPP statute.

  • October 06, 2026

    Kratom Maker Can't Ditch Buyer's Addiction False Ad Suit

    A New York federal judge won't let Mitra-9 Brands LLC escape a suit over its kratom products, saying the complaint sufficiently alleges that it knew about the addictive qualities of those products but didn't warn consumers.

  • October 06, 2026

    Justices Won't Hear Ex-Theranos Exec's Conviction Challenge

    The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal by Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani, former executive of the blood-testing startup Theranos, of his criminal fraud conviction and nearly 13-year prison sentence,

  • October 05, 2026

    Justices Fret Any Climate Tort Ruling Will Open Pandora's Box

    U.S. Supreme Court justices Monday pondered the risks of far-reaching fallout whether they allow or restrict burgeoning lawsuits targeting oil companies, acknowledging fears of near-limitless litigation but also struggling to distinguish climate torts from famous legal battles involving tobacco and opioids.

  • October 05, 2026

    AppLovin Skirts Controls To Show Kids Explicit Ads, Suit Says

    The county of San Diego lodged a lawsuit Monday alleging digital advertising platform AppLovin Corp. strips away parental controls meant to shield children from sexual and violent material in order to steer graphic ads to children and harvest their sensitive information to train its artificial intelligence.

  • October 05, 2026

    Roundup Evidence Strong In Every Research Area, Jury Hears

    A jury weighing cancer claims against Monsanto heard testimony Monday that scientific research shows a "strong" link between glyphosate and cancer in animal, molecular and human epidemiological studies, even when accounting for participants' exposure to other substances.

  • October 05, 2026

    Oil Giants Seek 2029 Trial In Wash. Tribes' Climate Harm Suits

    Oil giants Exxon, Chevron, Shell and others are at odds with two Native American tribes over when to schedule a trial in the tribes' consolidated lawsuits in Washington state court accusing the companies of downplaying the risks of climate harm.

  • October 05, 2026

    5th Circ. Backs Surgical Stapler Death Suit Dismissal

    The Fifth Circuit on Friday upheld a lower court's decision to dismiss a suit against Johnson & Johnson and its medical device subsidiary Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc. over a surgical stapler implicated in a man's death for failing to provide notice before filing suit.

  • October 05, 2026

    Justices Unsure Climate Lawsuits Are A Constitutional Matter

    U.S. Supreme Court justices on Monday appeared reluctant to endorse the argument that climate change lawsuits brought by state and local governments against fossil fuel companies are constitutionally prohibited, even as they questioned whether such lawsuits can be sustained.

  • October 05, 2026

    Starbucks' Protein Drinks Aren't Sugar-Free, Suit Says

    Starbucks customers filed a proposed class action in Washington federal court on Friday, accusing the coffee chain of trying to capitalize on the protein craze last year by launching a line of protein beverages labeled "sugar-free," even though they contain 13 to 21 grams of sugar per venti-size serving.

  • October 05, 2026

    Ford Didn't Need To Keep Ex-Engineer's Records, Judge Says

    A Massachusetts federal magistrate judge on Monday denied a bid for curative measures from a group of drivers suing Ford Motor Co. over allegedly faulty transmissions, saying their proposed class action failed to show that the automaker had a duty to preserve records from a former chief engineer who left the company years before the suit was filed.

  • October 05, 2026

    Justices Skip American Airlines Teen In-Flight Death Suit

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to consider a case from the family of a 14-year-old teenager who died of cardiac arrest on board an American Airlines flight, which sought clarity on what's considered an accident under the Montreal Convention.

Expert Analysis

  • W. Va. Case Could Be An Existential Threat To Citizen Suits

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    Environmental citizen suits supplement enforcement by federal agencies that can't be in all places at all times — but litigants in a West Virginia federal court are arguing that such suits are unconstitutional, and those arguments could gain ground in the current legal landscape, says David Romine at Langsam Stevens.

  • Why And How To Build A Neurodiversity-Informed Practice

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    By better understanding neurodiversity and implementing simple accommodations for clients with autism, ADHD or learning differences, attorneys can build stronger relationships with those who may otherwise struggle to obtain and benefit from legal services, while developing good habits that will benefit everyone they represent, says Ting Cheung at Sanford Heisler.

  • AG Watch: Texas Takes A Lone State Stand Against Tech Cos.

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    A look at Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's recent actions against Meta Platforms and Amazon.com illustrates how Texas is distancing itself from multistate coordination, offering practitioners a crucial perspective on navigating individual state actions amid coordinated attorney general litigation, say attorneys at Kelley Drye.

  • Upholding Energy Efficiency Rules If DOE Eases Enforcement

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    Despite recent moves by the Energy Department and Congress to limit energy efficiency enforcement, companies should maintain current efficiency standards and testing procedures lest they risk state or private action, enforcement lookbacks during future administrations, truth-in-advertising complaints and more, say attorneys at HWG.

  • New Suits Raise Stakes After 7th Circ. 'Zero Sugar' Ruling

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    The Seventh Circuit's recent ruling in Franco v. Chobani that "zero sugar" claims on allulose-sweetened products are not preempted has sparked a wave of lawsuits, and companies can no longer assume that federal allulose guidance is a safe harbor, say attorneys at Bradley Arant.

  • Meta Smart Glasses Suit Will Test Privacy Law For Bystanders

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    In a consolidated suit over how Ray-Ban Meta AI smart glasses handle personal video footage, a recently proposed class of unwittingly recorded bystanders highlights questions over whether privacy laws and product disclosures adequately address the risks wearable recording devices pose to nonusers, say attorneys at Barnes & Thornburg.

  • Abbott FCA Deal Shows Enforcement Adequacy Quandaries

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    Abbott Laboratories’ recent False Claims Act resolution illustrates several tricky questions that both prosecutors and defense counsel must address when weighing whether a civil enforcement action alone adequately addresses allegedly wrongful conduct, says James Koukios at MoFo.

  • Series

    Mich. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q3

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    We are at an inflection point for Michigan financial services law, with a state Supreme Court decision recently overruling more than 25 years of precedent on the Michigan Consumer Protection Act, and pending legislation that could significantly shift the regulatory landscape, say attorneys and advisers at Dykema.

  • Opinion

    Clancy Trial Shows Need For Juror Anonymity Reforms

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    Doxing of the holdout juror in the Lindsay Clancy murder mistrial in Massachusetts illustrates the increasing need to provide jurors with greater protection once service ends in high-profile cases, balancing concerns about transparency and independence, says Daniel Schneider at Offit Kurman.

  • Calif. AV Notices Reshape Crash Data Preservation, Discovery

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    California's new autonomous vehicle noncompliance notice process does not decide fault or establish that an AV is unsafe, but it can create a contemporaneous regulatory record and accelerate decisions about what crash-related data must be preserved, reviewed and potentially disclosed in litigation, says attorney Lem Garcia.

  • Testing AI's Promise For Large-Scale Document Review

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    Our document-review comparison of attorneys' responsiveness and issue coding decisions versus predictions generated by artificial intelligence across 1,600 documents suggests that these tools can offer a reasonable and reliable basis for improved discovery workflows, provided lawyers understand where guardrails are needed, say attorneys at Redgrave.

  • How ChatGPT Teen Version Raises Product Liability Questions

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    OpenAI's recent rollout of ChatGPT for Teens offers younger users a purportedly safer version of the software — but it could also help plaintiffs who are questioning whether earlier versions were safe for minors, when the company identified risks and when safeguards became technically viable, says Michael McCready at McCready Law.

  • AG Watch: Va. Vape Product Regulations Enter A New Phase

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    Virginia's new vape enforcement framework carries important implications related to product eligibility and certification requirements for businesses operating in the marketplace, representing the culmination of several years of legislative action, regulatory development, litigation and interagency planning, says Chuck Slemp at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Opinion

    Colo. Climate Suit Defies Limits Of State Power

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    In Suncor Energy v. Boulder County, the U.S. Supreme Court must not allow a single Colorado county to penalize pollution occurring across the country and around the globe, because the U.S. Constitution forbids states from exercising power beyond their borders, says Michael McGinley at Dechert.

  • AI Meeting Recaps Pose New Discovery And Privilege Risks

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    The New York City Bar Association’s recent ethics opinion, cautioning attorneys not to record nonclient conversations with artificial intelligence tools, reflects an emerging view that AI meeting recaps are now a distinct business record category, meaning counsel should set meeting-level controls and apply framework-level updates, says William Wright at Faegre Drinker.

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