Product Liability

  • August 14, 2024

    FTC Finalizes Rule To Crack Down On Fake Online Reviews

    The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday announced it has finalized a rule to thwart marketers from using false reviews and testimonials, cementing the agency's authority to seek civil penalties from knowing violators for a host of misconduct including the use of AI-generated fake reviews.

  • August 14, 2024

    Kroger Hit With Prop 65 Suit Over Metals In Snacks, Cinnamon

    Kroger and Ralphs sell roasted seaweed snacks and ground cinnamon containing cadmium and lead, which are known to cause cancer and reproductive toxicity, without warning consumers in violation of Proposition 65, according to a complaint filed in California state court by a consumer protection group. 

  • August 14, 2024

    Michigan's Airport PFAS Pollution Suit Escapes Foam MDL

    A Michigan federal judge has agreed to disentangle state regulators' PFAS pollution claims against an airport from claims against manufacturers of the chemicals, a move that prevents the state's case from being absorbed into multidistrict litigation over firefighting foam.

  • August 14, 2024

    CPSC Foes Widen Assault On New Deal-Era Precedent

    A maker of child care products is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to decide the constitutionality of protections barring the president from firing U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission members without good cause, telling the justices that the powerful agency doesn't fit the narrow exceptions to the White House's otherwise unrestricted removal authority.

  • August 14, 2024

    Suit Claims Giant Uses Banned, Toxic Oil In Orange Soda

    A proposed class of soda drinkers is suing The Giant Co. LLC in Pennsylvania federal court, alleging that it makes and sells orange soda made with a kind of vegetable oil that federal regulators banned for its negative effects on the thyroid gland.

  • August 14, 2024

    Zantac Judge Won't Step Aside Over Wife's Reed Smith Role

    A Pennsylvania state judge overseeing the Zantac mass tort litigation against GlaxoSmithKline denied a motion to recuse himself Wednesday after expressing skepticism about the plaintiffs' contention that he could be unconsciously partial because his wife works for a firm defending the drugmaker in other jurisdictions.

  • August 14, 2024

    Rising Star: King & Spalding's TaCara Harris

    King & Spalding LLP's TaCara Harris' work investigating allegations of sexual assault by coaches in the National Women's Soccer League, as well as her work on the litigation over claims that Zantac causes cancer, is why she won a spot on the 2024 list of product liability Law360 Rising Stars.

  • August 14, 2024

    Santa Monica Sues 3M, DuPont Over PFAS Contamination

    The city of Santa Monica, California, has hit 3M, DuPont de Nemours Inc., RTX Corp., formerly known as Raytheon, and more than a dozen other companies with a suit over PFAS contamination stemming from the use of aqueous film-forming firefighting foams.

  • August 13, 2024

    Jury Awards $51M To Family In Carbon Monoxide Leak

    A Texas jury awarded a woman and her two children $51 million after they suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning in their apartment in 2015, finding in a Tuesday verdict that their apartment complex was responsible for the leak that allegedly left the children with serious brain injuries.

  • August 13, 2024

    8th Circ. Finds ATF's Braced Pistol Rule Arbitrary, Capricious

    An Eighth Circuit panel has reversed an order denying a preliminary injunction to block enforcement of a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives rule regulating pistols with stabilizing braces as short-barreled rifles, finding that aspects of the rule were arbitrary and capricious.

  • August 13, 2024

    Full 7th Circ. Asked To Review Tossing Of Protein Pouch Fight

    A Florida-based protein powder maker is asking the Seventh Circuit to reconsider its upholding of a Wisconsin federal court's decision to toss its claims over allegedly defective plastic zipper pouches on the grounds that they were filed too late.

  • August 13, 2024

    Campbell Soup Co. Defends V8 Splash Labeling As Accurate

    Campbell Soup Co. has urged a New Jersey federal judge to toss a putative class action alleging it duped consumers into thinking its V8 Splash beverages are naturally flavored and healthy, saying the drinks' labels never claimed the drinks were free of artificial flavors.

  • August 13, 2024

    Parts Maker Can't Escape Goya Death Suit

    A machine manufacturer must face claims that a negligent inspection at a Texas-based Goya food distribution center led to a forklift operator burning to death after crashing into a pipe carrying hot beans, a federal judge has ruled, saying a jury could still find the company liable for failing to warn of the low hanging pipe.

  • August 13, 2024

    HP Inks Deal To End Claims Printer Update Locked Out Rivals

    HP Inc. and a certified class of consumers told a California magistrate judge Monday that they have reached a settlement in principle to resolve a class action alleging the printer maker illegally forced customers to purchase overpriced HP-branded ink and toner supply cartridges by making alternative products incompatible with their printers.

  • August 13, 2024

    Mother Can't Revive Suit Against GE For Child's Brain Damage

    A Pennsylvania appeals panel won't reinstate a mother's suit against General Electric Co. and subsidiary Datex-Ohmeda Inc. alleging that a faulty anesthesia machine caused her child permanent brain damage, finding the trial court rightly found that the state doesn't have jurisdiction over the claims.

  • August 13, 2024

    Riders Renew Bid To Sue Segway Over Pa. Scooter Injuries

    Two riders who were injured and the estate of a rider who was killed while using the now-defunct Spin electric scooter service in Pittsburgh have renewed their request to split their lawsuit against the city and Spin's bankrupt parent company so they can move ahead with claims against scooter maker Segway and the service's nonprofit partners.

  • August 13, 2024

    Janssen Wants New FCA Trial As Relators Seek $1.85B Win

    Janssen has urged a New Jersey federal judge to toss a jury's $150 million False Claims Act verdict that found the pharmaceutical company illegally profited from the off-label marketing of popular HIV medications, while whistleblowers have asked the court for a whopping $1.85 billion judgment consisting of trebled damages and statutory penalties.

  • August 13, 2024

    Tort Report: Disney Blasted For 'Absurd' Arbitration Bid

    A Disney unit's unconventional bid to arbitrate a wrongful death suit and a hefty crash suit verdict out of California lead Law360's Tort Report, which compiles recent personal injury and medical malpractice news that may have flown under the radar.

  • August 13, 2024

    United Customer's Greenwashing Suit Preempted, Judge Says

    A Maryland federal judge ruled Tuesday that federal law preempts a proposed class action alleging United Airlines misled customers by deceptively marketing its use of sustainable aviation fuels and its efforts to be green and carbon-neutral.

  • August 13, 2024

    DC Circ. Backs EPA's Ethylene Oxide Cancer Risk Value

    The D.C. Circuit on Tuesday upheld federal environmental regulators' assessment of the cancer risk from exposure to certain chemical manufacturers' ethylene oxide emissions, rejecting a challenge from a chemical company and two chemical associations that argued the risk assessment was arbitrary and capricious.

  • August 13, 2024

    Eversource Hit With $450M Suit Over Fatal Gas Explosion

    The family of a Massachusetts man who died in a 2021 natural gas explosion caused by a corroded and leaking pipe says utility provider Eversource put profits ahead of public safety, according to a wrongful death suit filed Tuesday that seeks $450 million in damages.

  • August 13, 2024

    'Clever' Scheme Is Concealing Talc Litigation Funding, J&J Says

    The Beasley Allen Law Firm needs to disclose alleged litigation funding fueling its litigation over Johnson & Johnson's talcum powder even if that funding was not given directly to the firm since the disclosure rules apply to "parties" and not "law firms," J&J has told a New Jersey federal court.

  • August 13, 2024

    Rising Star: Lieff Cabraser's Andrew Kaufman

    Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein LLP's Andrew Kaufman has helped lead cases in multidistrict litigation against Juul Labs Inc. over its marketing of vapes and Uber Technologies Inc. over allegations of sexual assault of passengers, earning him a spot among product liability attorneys under age 40 recognized by Law360 as Rising Stars.

  • August 13, 2024

    Talc Claims Land Cosmetics Giant Avon In Ch. 11

    Avon Products filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware, saying it needs to address more than $1 billion in liabilities and allegations of injuries caused by talc in its products.

  • August 12, 2024

    Groups Call On IHS To End Amalgam Use On Tribal Lands

    A consortium of groups, including Consumers for Dental Choice and the International Indian Treaty Council, are calling on the U.S. Indian Health Service and other governments to immediately stop using mercury-containing dental fillings on Native Americans.

Expert Analysis

  • Cos. Must Prepare For Calif. Legislation That Would Ban PFAS

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    Pending California legislation that would ban the sale or distribution of new products containing intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances could affect thousands of businesses — and given the bill's expected passage, and its draconian enforcement regime, companies must act now to prepare for it, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • FDA Warning Letter Tightens Reins On 'Research Only' Labels

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    A recent warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to Agena Bioscience alleged the company’s diagnostic devices were labeled for research use only, but improperly promoted for human clinical purposes, signifying a reinforcement — and a potential narrowing — of the agency's policy on products labeled “research only,” say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Assigning Liability In Key Bridge Collapse May Be Challenging

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    In the wake of a cargo ship's collision with Baltimore's Key Bridge last month, claimants may focus on the vessel's owners and the agencies responsible for the design and maintenance of the bridge — but allocating legal liability to either private or governmental entities may be difficult under applicable state and federal laws, says Clay Robbins at Wisner Baum.

  • Strategies For Challenging A Fla. Grand Jury Report's Release

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    A Florida grand jury’s recent report on potential wrongdoing related to COVID-19 vaccines should serve as a reminder to attorneys to review the myriad legal mechanisms available to challenge the lawfulness of a grand jury report’s publication and expunge the names of their clients, says Cary Aronovitz at Holland & Knight.

  • NC Rulings Show Bankruptcy Isn't Only For Insolvent Debtors

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    Two recent rulings from a North Carolina bankruptcy court show that lack of financial distress is not a requirement for bankruptcy protection, particularly in the Fourth Circuit, but these types of cases can still be dismissed for other reasons, say Stuart Gordon and Alexandria Vath at Rivkin Radler.

  • Series

    Whitewater Kayaking Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Whether it's seeing clients and their issues from a new perspective, or staying nimble in a moment of intense challenge, the lessons learned from whitewater kayaking transcend the rapids of a river and prepare attorneys for the courtroom and beyond, says Matthew Kent at Alston & Bird.

  • AI In The Operating Room: Liability Issues For Device Makers

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    As healthcare providers consider medical devices that use artificial intelligence — including systems to help surgeons make decisions in the operating room — and lobby to shift liability to device manufacturers, companies making these products must review potential product liability risks and important design considerations for such equipment, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • 3 Lessons From Family Dollar's Record $41.7M Guilty Plea

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    Family Dollar's recent plea deal in connection with a rodent infestation at one of its distribution facilities — resulting in the largest ever monetary criminal penalty in a food safety case — offers key takeaways for those practicing in the interconnected fields of compliance, internal investigations and white collar defense, says Jonathan Porter at Husch Blackwell.

  • This Earth Day, Consider How Your Firm Can Go Greener

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    As Earth Day approaches, law firms and attorneys should consider adopting more sustainable practices to reduce their carbon footprint — from minimizing single-use plastics to purchasing carbon offsets for air travel — which ultimately can also reduce costs for clients, say M’Lynn Phillips and Lisa Walters at IMS Legal Strategies.

  • Circumstantial Evidence Requires A Pointillist Approach

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    Because complex cases with sophisticated defendants are unlikely to reveal much, if any, direct evidence, attorneys must aggregate many pieces of circumstantial evidence into a cohesive narrative — much like the painting technique of pointillism, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Benzene Contamination Concerns: Drugmakers' Next Steps

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    After a citizen petition to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a flurry of class actions over benzene contamination in benzoyl peroxide acne products, affected manufacturers should consider a thoughtful approach that includes assembling internal data and possibly contacting the FDA for product-specific discussions, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Opinion

    States Should Follow Federal Lead On Expert Evidence Rules

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    The recently amended Federal Rule of Evidence 702 will help ensure expert testimony in federal courts reflects adequate data and reliable methods properly applied to a given case, and state courts — home to the overwhelming majority of U.S. litigation — should adopt similar changes, says retired attorney Michael Harrington.

  • Back Labels In False Ad Cases Get Some Clarity In 9th Circ.

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    Courts in the Ninth Circuit have recently delivered a series of wins to advertisers, making clear that any ambiguity on the front of a product's package can be resolved by reference to the back label — which guarantees defendants a powerful tool to combat deceptive labeling claims, say attorneys at Patterson Belknap.

  • Opinion

    Federal MDL Rule Benefits From Public Comments

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    The new Federal Rule of Civil Procedure concerning multidistrict litigation that was approved this week by the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules incorporates ideas from public comments that will aid both plaintiffs and defense attorneys — and if ultimately adopted, the rule should promote efficient, merits-driven MDL case management, say Robert Johnston and Gary Feldon at Hollingsworth.

  • Practicing Law With Parkinson's Disease

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    This Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Adam Siegler at Greenberg Traurig discusses his experience working as a lawyer with Parkinson’s disease, sharing both lessons on how to cope with a diagnosis and advice for supporting colleagues who live with the disease.

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