Product Liability

Expert Analysis

• Opinion

  Justice Kennedy's Moderating Influence On The High Court

  

  With the conclusion of this U.S. Supreme Court term just around the corner, the guessing game around Justice Anthony Kennedy’s possible retirement is reaching a crescendo. Yet the speculation does more than fuel bookmakers’ odds. It draws attention to his pivotal role as the court’s swing vote, says Nan Aron, president of Alliance for Justice.

• The Shrinking Doctrine Of Specific Personal Jurisdiction

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Bristol-Myers Squibb v. Superior Court of California reaffirmed a causation requirement between a plaintiff’s claims and the defendant’s in-state conduct. After this ruling, the test for specific personal jurisdiction is simple: File suit where the defendant did something significant that caused the claim to arise, say attorneys with Morrison & Foerster LLP.

• Tax Deductibility And Statutory Damages — A Waiting Trap

  

  Statutory damages guarantee a minimum recovery in each individual case where a violation may cause only nominal damage. But aggregated statutory damages in class actions can create a risk of staggeringly large awards, which may not be tax-deductible. Companies must know the law and take steps to minimize tax consequences, says Peter Robbins of Corbett & Robbins LLP.

• Weekly Column

  Innovating For Wise Juries: Juror-Posed Questions

  

  One way to combat juror confusion and boredom is to allow jurors to ask witnesses questions. No federal evidentiary or court rule prohibits it, and every federal circuit court to address the practice has held it permissible, say Stephen Susman, Richard Lorren Jolly and Dr. Roy Futterman of the NYU School of Law Civil Jury Project.

• Tough Times For Forum Shoppers

  

  A trio of rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court has made this a difficult spring for forum-shopping lawyers. TC Heartland, BNSF Railway and now Bristol-Myers Squibb have enforced limits on exercise of personal jurisdiction over corporate defendants, sending an unmistakable message to lower courts, says Lawrence Ebner of Capital Appellate Advocacy PLLC.

• The Evolution Of Opioid Suits And Insurance Coverage

  

  In the midst of the worst drug crisis in American history, two key developments this month may have far-reaching impacts on both the underlying liability claims as well as the insurers to whom the defendants are looking to finance hundreds of millions of dollars in exposure, says Adam Fleischer of BatesCarey LLP.

• Understanding Product Liability Settlements Down Under

  

  As in the U.S., a product liability lawsuit in Australia can be resolved through an out-of-court settlement agreement. But the mechanisms for settlement in Australian litigation differ from how cases are settled in the U.S. Knowing the settlement landscape and possible costs consequences is important for U.S.-based companies who operate or distribute in Australia, says Bettina Sorbello of DibbsBarker.

• How Science Days Are Changing Talc Litigation

  

  Tutorials in the form of “science days” are an increasingly common way for judges to learn more about the science behind litigation over medical and consumer products and chemical exposures. The science day held recently by a California state court judge overseeing talcum powder litigation provides valuable insights into the process, say David Schwartz of Innovative Science Solutions LLC and attorney Nathan Schachtman.

• Tips For Complying With ABA’s New Encryption Guidance

  

  Last month, the American Bar Association published revised guidance regarding an attorney’s duty to protect sensitive client material in light of recent high-profile hacks. The first step in compliance is understanding how your data is being stored and accessed. There are three key questions you should ask your firm’s information technology staff and/or external solution vendors, says Nick Holda of PreVeil.

• How Driverless Cars Will Impact A Wide Range Of Industries

  

  It is becoming clear that the disruptive nature of the autonomous vehicle will extend far beyond the automotive industry. Conversations with clients from a variety of industries have provided unique insight into what a future might look like without humans behind the wheel, say Mike Nelson and Trevor Satnick of Eversheds Sutherland.