ĂŰĚŇĘÓƵ

Product Liability

  • July 23, 2025

    Thompson Hine Adds Venable Product Liability Atty In LA

    Thompson Hine LLP is expanding its litigation team, announcing Wednesday it has brought in a Venable LLP product liability expert as a partner in its year-old Los Angeles office.

  • July 22, 2025

    FCA Draws Heavy Constitutional Fire After $1.6B J&J Verdict

    Reeling from a record fraud verdict tied to drug promotion practices, Johnson & Johnson is pursuing a sweeping constitutional challenge to the False Claims Act, and in filings this week at the Third Circuit, major industry allies rallied behind its views of whistleblower litigants usurping executive branch power.

  • July 22, 2025

    Justices Urged To Hear Ill. Freight Broker Negligence Fight

    A man who was injured in an Illinois trucking accident urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday to address conflicting court decisions on whether federal law shields freight brokers from state-based negligence and personal injury claims, saying broker and logistics giant C.H. Robinson cannot evade liability.

  • July 22, 2025

    After 8th Circ. Ruling, Hemp Co. Drops Suit Against SD Ban

    A South Dakota hemp retailer has moved to voluntarily dismiss its federal lawsuit challenging the state's ban on the processing of hemp derivatives into intoxicating products, days after the Eighth Circuit upheld a similar Arkansas law.

  • July 22, 2025

    Gov'ts, Tribes Look To Settle Idaho Mining Pollution Suit

    The U.S. government, Idaho and a tribal nation are asking a federal judge to approve an unopposed settlement with a phosphate ore mining company over its alleged dumping of hazardous substances within a national forest.

  • July 22, 2025

    States, Asbestos Claimants Seek Claim Purge Block In Del.

    An attorney for companies embroiled in asbestos injury suits urged a Delaware vice chancellor Tuesday to block plans by asbestos bankruptcy claims trusts to begin routine destruction of exposure-related data, arguing that the move would cut off a potential last-resort source of information.

  • July 22, 2025

    DC Circ. Won't Revive Cocoa Farm Child Slave Labor Suit

    The D.C. Circuit on Tuesday declined to revive a proposed class suit by former child laborers against Hershey, Nestlé and five other companies alleging they were forced into child labor to pick cocoa later used by the companies, saying the plaintiffs failed to link the companies to the specific farms they worked on.

  • July 22, 2025

    Ex-Boeing Engineer's Racial Bias Appeal Divides Wash. Panel

    A Washington state appellate judge appeared doubtful on Tuesday of an ex-Boeing engineer's claims that he was targeted for his Middle Eastern background, citing an internal probe purportedly justifying his firing, while another panelist suggested that the company is missing "linchpin" evidence to preserve its trial court win in the case.

  • July 22, 2025

    Lathrop GPM Adds Partner To Chicago Office

    Lathrop GPM LLP has added a new Chicago-based partner to its tort, insurance and environmental practice group, the firm announced Monday, saying her practice primarily focuses on defending clients against product liability claims and claims involving exposure to toxic substances and transportation-related injuries.

  • July 22, 2025

    YouTube, TikTok Poised To Beat 'Choking Challenge' Suit

    A California federal magistrate judge appeared inclined Tuesday to toss a proposed class action alleging YouTube's and TikTok's reporting features are defectively designed to overlook deadly "choking challenge" videos and similar dangerous content, noting that content moderation tools are typically shielded by Section 230, even if those tools "get it wrong."

  • July 22, 2025

    Pa. Gas Cos. Sued Over Heater Explosion That Killed 6

    Natural gas from a leaking pipeline allegedly filled the basement of a suburban Pittsburgh home, fueling an explosion that leveled three houses and killed six people in 2023, according to lawsuits filed Tuesday by the families of three victims.

  • July 22, 2025

    9th Circ. Rejects Gun Club's Bid For Permitting Cost Coverage

    An insurer for a Washington shooting club had no duty to cover roughly $400,000 in costs to secure proper site development permits after county officials won a public nuisance lawsuit against the club, the Ninth Circuit ruled, finding the club can't be covered for its deliberate actions.

  • July 22, 2025

    Transportation Cases To Watch: Midyear Report 2025

    Litigation concerning whether local delivery drivers qualify as transportation workers exempt from arbitration and clashes over the scope of federal preemption in personal injury cases involving freight brokers and motor carriers are among the court battles that transportation attorneys are watching in the latter half of 2025.

  • July 22, 2025

    Boeing Says Calif. Ties Not Related To 737 Max Midair Blowout

    The Boeing Co. is asking a California federal court to throw out claims against it stemming from the midair blowout of a door plug on one of its 737 Max 9 jets, saying the plaintiffs have failed to show that the incident had anything to do with the company's ties to California.

  • July 22, 2025

    Fiat Chrysler Denies Misleading Court Over Settlement Delays

    Fiat Chrysler told a Michigan federal judge on Monday that changes to management and internal procedures are in part to blame for the continued delay in submitting documents to finalize a deal resolving allegations that the automaker sold vehicles with engines prone to catching fire, urging the court not to sanction the company.

  • July 21, 2025

    Man Tweaks Suit Over Gun Purchase Ban Tied To Pot Conviction

    A man who claims he was wrongly denied the right to buy a gun despite his four-decades-old marijuana felony being expunged has tweaked his legal efforts, dropping the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as defendants in his lawsuit in Kansas federal court.

  • July 21, 2025

    Enterprise Need Only Check License, Conn. Panel Rules

    Enterprise Rent-A-Car can not be held liable for renting a vehicle to a man who became intoxicated and struck a jogger and his dog later that day, a Connecticut appeals court ruled, saying the company was only required to inspect the driver's physical license and not to find out if the state had limited him to vehicles equipped with car breathalyzers.

  • July 21, 2025

    Avon, Insurers Spar At Ch. 11 Plan Hearing Over Talc Trust

    Avon made its case Monday to a Delaware bankruptcy judge for its Chapter 11 liquidation plan, while insurers that issued policies to the cosmetics company alleged its proposal to pay talc injury claims through a trust funded by insurance coverage was unfair to them.

  • July 21, 2025

    Tesla Driver In Crash Says He Was 'Too Comfortable' With Car

    The Tesla driver who killed a woman in a crash in the Florida Keys told jurors Monday that he had been "potentially too comfortable" with the vehicle's autopilot software that he regularly engaged on his 100-mile commute.

  • July 21, 2025

    Energy Litigation To Watch In The 2nd Half Of 2025

    Courtroom showdowns between the Trump administration and blue states over U.S. energy and climate change policy will dominate the energy litigation landscape for the rest of 2025. Here is what the energy industry will be watching closely in the second half of the year.

  • July 21, 2025

    EPA Asks 9th Circ. To Reverse Calif. Judge In Fluoride Suit

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is asking the Ninth Circuit to reverse a California federal judge who ruled that the EPA's current "optimal" level of fluoride in drinking water poses an unreasonable risk of lowering children's IQ.

  • July 21, 2025

    Judge Allows Calif. Tribe In Casino Suit, Denies Dismissal Bid

    A California tribe at the center of a dispute over a decision to take 70 acres into trust for its proposed Sonoma County hotel and casino project can intervene in the litigation, a federal judge said, while finding that the Indigenous nation cannot dismiss the case based on sovereign immunity.

  • July 21, 2025

    Erie Insurance Blames BMW For $2M Mini Cooper Fire Loss

    An insurer for a Pittsburgh car dealership and car owner told a Pennsylvania state court that BMW's North American division owes nearly $2 million in coverage reimbursement for a Mini Cooper vehicle fire because of a faulty battery housing or related components.

  • July 21, 2025

    Ruger Says Colo. Shooting Suits Can't Lean On Conn. Ruling 

    Sturm Ruger & Co. on Monday asked a Connecticut state judge to strike lawsuits by the families of the victims of a Colorado mass shooting, saying litigation from the Sandy Hook massacre does not open the Constitution State's unfair trade practices statute to all advertising-based claims against gunmakers.

  • July 21, 2025

    Faegre Drinker Adds Another Greenberg Product Liability Atty

    Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP has added another former Greenberg Traurig LLP attorney to its product liability and mass torts team, this time a New York-based counsel who focuses on medical device litigation.

Expert Analysis

  • How Courts Can Filter Nonmeritorious Claims In Mass Torts

    Author Photo

    Nonmeritorious claims have been a key obstacle to settlement in many recent high-profile mass torts, but courts may be able to use tools they already have to solve this problem, says Samir Parikh at Wake Forest University.

  • Series

    Racing Corvettes Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    The skills I use when racing Corvettes have enhanced my legal practice in several ways, because driving, like practicing law, requires precision, awareness and a good set of brakes — complete with the wisdom to know how and when to use them, says Kat Mateo at Olshan Frome.

  • Opinion

    At 100, Federal Arbitration Act Is Used To Thwart Justice

    Author Photo

    The centennial of the Federal Arbitration Act, a law intended to streamline dispute resolution in commercial agreements, is an opportunity to reflect on its transformation from a tool of fairness into a corporate shield that impedes the right to a fair trial, says Lori Andrus at the American Association for Justice.

  • Opinion

    Attorneys Must Act Now To Protect Judicial Independence

    Author Photo

    Given the Trump administration's recent moves threatening the independence of the judiciary, including efforts to impeach judges who ruled against executive actions, lawyers must protect the rule of law and resist attempts to dilute the judicial branch’s authority, says attorney Bhavleen Sabharwal.

  • The Math Of Cross-Examination: Less Is More, More Is Less

    Author Photo

    When conducting cross-examination at trial, attorneys should remember that “less is more, and more is less” — limiting both the scope of questioning and the length of each query in order to control the witness’s testimony and keep the factfinders’ attention, says Thomas Innes at the Defender Association of Philadelphia.

  • Ga. Tort Reform Bill May Help Dampen 'Nuclear' Verdicts

    Author Photo

    Many aspects of the tort reform bill just passed by the Georgia Legislature — including prohibitions on suggesting damage amounts to juries, and limits to recovering phantom damages — face opposition from the plaintiffs bar, but are a key first step toward addressing excessive damage awards in the state, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Rethinking 'No Comment' For Clients Facing Public Crises

    Author Photo

    “No comment” is no longer a cost-free or even a viable public communications strategy for companies in crisis, and counsel must tailor their guidance based on a variety of competing factors to help clients emerge successfully, says Robert Bowers at Moore & Van Allen.

  • As Failure-To-Warn Preemption Wanes, Justices May Weigh In

    Author Photo

    Federal preemption of state failure-to-warn claims has long been a powerful defense in strict liability tort cases, but is now under attack in litigation over the weedkiller Roundup and other products — so the scope and application of preemption may require clarification by the U.S. Supreme Court, says Michael Sena at Segal McCambridge.

  • How Design Thinking Can Help Lawyers Find Purpose In Work

    Author Photo

    Lawyers everywhere are feeling overwhelmed amid mass government layoffs, increasing political instability and a justice system stretched to its limits — but a design-thinking framework can help attorneys navigate this uncertainty and find meaning in their work, say law professors at the University of Michigan.

  • Tools For Witness Control That Go Beyond Leading Questions

    Author Photo

    Though leading questions can be efficient and effective for constraining a witness’s testimony, this strategy isn’t appropriate for every trial and pretrial scenario, so techniques like headlining and looping can be deployed during direct examination, depositions and even witness interviews, says Allison Rocker at Baker McKenzie.

  • Opinion

    Weight Drug Suits Highlight Need For Legal Work On Safety

    Author Photo

    The rapid ascent of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic has revolutionized diabetes management and weight loss — but legal wrangling over issues including off-label prescriptions, side effects and compounded versions underscores lawyers' roles in protecting patient safety, says attorney Gregg Goldfarb.

  • Will Independent Federal Agencies Remain Independent?

    Author Photo

    For 90 years, members of multimember independent federal agencies have relied on the U.S. Supreme Court's 1935 ruling in Humphrey's Executor v. U.S. establishing the security of their positions — but as the Trump administration attempts to overturn this understanding, it is unclear how the high court will respond, says Harvey Reiter at Stinson.

  • 4 Do's And Don'ts For Trial Lawyers Using Generative AI

    Author Photo

    Trial attorneys who use artificial intelligence tools should review a few key reminders, from the likelihood that prompts are discoverable to the rapid evolution of court rules, to safeguard against embarrassing missteps, says Nate Sabri at Perkins Coie.

  • Series

    Competitive Weightlifting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    The parallels between the core principles required for competitive weightlifting and practicing law have helped me to excel in both endeavors, with each holding important lessons about discipline, dedication, drive and failure, says Damien Bielli at VF Law.

  • Opinion

    Inconsistent Injury-In-Fact Rules Hinder Federal Practice

    Author Photo

    A recent Third Circuit decision, contradicting a previous ruling about whether consumers of contaminated products have suffered an injury in fact, illustrates the deep confusion this U.S. Supreme Court standard creates among federal judges and practitioners, who deserve a simpler method of determining which cases have federal standing, says Eric Dwoskin at Dwoskin Wasdin.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Product Liability archive.