Product Liability

  • March 07, 2025

    Honda, Class Spar Over Defect Verdict And Fees At 9th Circ.

    Class counsel representing a certified class of Illinois Honda owners urged the Ninth Circuit on Friday to reverse their partial summary judgment loss, along with a $1.5 million fee and cost award for securing a $1.4 million valve defect verdict, while Honda argued that the verdict should be tossed entirely.

  • March 07, 2025

    Ex-Deloitte Principal Joins CPSC As Executive Director

    The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced this week that that Brien Lorenze had joined the agency as its executive director to carry out its programs, operations and administrative duties.

  • March 07, 2025

    EPA To Drop Enforcement Suit Against La. Neoprene Maker

    The Trump administration is dropping a lawsuit alleging that a neoprene manufacturer's air emissions pose a health threat to the surrounding community, saying the action is part of its effort to "end radical DEI programs" and "eliminate ideological overreach."

  • March 07, 2025

    Mich. Justices Kick PFAS Rule Challenge Back To Panel

    The Michigan Supreme Court on Friday punted 3M Co.'s challenge to state regulations limiting PFAS in tap water to a lower court to address subsequent regulatory developments and answer whether the company should have pursued an administrative appeal before suing.

  • March 06, 2025

    Amid Court Setbacks, Trump Wants Foes To Foot Legal Bills

    With judges hitting the brakes on the White House's aggressive agenda, President Donald Trump on Thursday vowed to up the ante with his legal adversaries by seeking legal costs and damages if his administration ultimately prevails after initial setbacks in litigation.

  • March 06, 2025

    Calif. Woman Accuses Fla. Sugar Co. Of Greenwashing

    Florida Crystals Corp. is deceptively advertising sugar products as eco-friendly when it knows that its farming practices are "unnecessarily poisoning people and the planet," a Santa Cruz, California, woman has said in a proposed class action accusing the company of greenwashing.

  • March 06, 2025

    Gerber Inks Settlement In Baby Formula False Ad Suit

    Gerber Products Co. has reached a deal that could end a long-running class action accusing it of falsely claiming its baby formula could reduce the risk of children developing allergies, with terms that promise parents a partial refund and class counsel as much as $11.25 million in attorney fees.

  • March 06, 2025

    Pfizer Failed To Warn Of Depo-Provera's Tumor Risk, Suit Says

    A woman who claims she developed a brain tumor after years of taking the contraceptive Depo-Provera is suing Pfizer and other pharmaceutical companies who manufacture the drug, claiming in Washington federal court they failed to tell patients of the danger even though it is standard on warning labels in Europe and Canada.

  • March 06, 2025

    Kroger Can't Escape Baby Food Metal Claims

    An Ohio federal judge on Wednesday allowed consumers' claims to go forward in a proposed class action against Kroger and other grocery stores alleging that their Simple Truth baby teething wafers contain unsafe levels of toxic metals, saying the allegations didn't amount to a "shotgun pleading."

  • March 06, 2025

    Wheeling & Appealing: The Latest Must-Know Appellate Action

    Believe it or not, there's still important litigation happening that doesn't involve President Donald Trump, and the proof exists in this month's circuit court calendars. During the remaining weeks of March, arguments will explore numerous high-profile topics, including a law firm's severe punishment for alleged misconduct in 9/11 litigation and a judicial rebuke of Trader Joe's for "an attempt to weaponize the legal system."

  • March 06, 2025

    Insurers Seek Toss Of Meta's Social Media MDL Coverage Suit

    A group of insurers urged a California federal court to either toss or stay Meta's suit seeking to pause all coverage litigation regarding underlying claims that the company deliberately designed its platforms to be addictive to adolescents, saying the first-to-file rule applies to the carriers' Delaware state court suit.

  • March 06, 2025

    Reddy Ice Must Cover Walmart's Slip-And-Fall Settlement​​​​​​​

    Bagged ice seller Reddy Ice Corp. must indemnify Walmart Inc. for the retailer's settlement of a woman's slip-and-fall lawsuit, an Arkansas federal court ruled Thursday, noting it is "undisputed" that the woman fell because of water originating from a faulty freezer display owned by Reddy Ice.

  • March 06, 2025

    First Liberty Settles $1M House Fire Suit Against LG

    LG Electronics has settled an insurance company's lawsuit seeking to recoup a $1 million payout on a claim it paid out stemming from a house fire allegedly caused by a faulty microwave.

  • March 06, 2025

    Pigment Co. Not Covered For Asbestos Suits, Court Told

    A Liberty Mutual unit doesn't owe coverage to a cosmetic pigment manufacturer in underlying suits alleging injury from exposure to asbestos-containing materials, it told a New York federal court, saying certain claims fall outside the scope of coverage because they're not based on the company's work.

  • March 06, 2025

    FDA Nominee Hedges On Job Cuts, Abortion Drug In Hearing

    The nominee to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Marty Makary, repeatedly hedged about whether he would reconvene a flu vaccine committee, maintain access to the abortion drug mifepristone or control future job cuts during his confirmation hearing in front of a Senate panel on Thursday. 

  • March 05, 2025

    Starbucks Let Hot Drink Spill On Driver, Jury Hears

    Starbucks went to trial Wednesday over a delivery window drink pickup gone wrong, as lawyers for a driver who had scalding water spill in his lap told a Los Angeles jury the coffee giant's employee left one of three cups "not safely secured" in a cardboard drink holder.

  • March 05, 2025

    Chrysler Sold Jeeps With Batteries That Catch Fire, Suit Says

    Newer-model plug-in hybrid Jeep Wranglers can catch fire due to a defect in its high-voltage battery, according to a proposed class action filed in Michigan federal court that accuses Fiat Chrysler America of concealing the problems.

  • March 05, 2025

    Los Angeles County Sues SoCal Edison Over Eaton Fire

    Los Angeles County joined the many dozens suing Southern California Edison over the devastating Eaton Fire on Wednesday, as the most populous county in the United States alleges in its lawsuit that the utility's faulty equipment caused the destructive blaze.

  • March 05, 2025

    Igloo Must Pay For Finger-Chopping Coolers, Consumer Says

    A California man is suing beverage storage company Igloo over its popular coolers and ice chests that he says have pinched, broken and even amputated fingertips, saying in a federal suit that the company's remedial efforts haven't been enough.

  • March 05, 2025

    Feds Urge Justices To Allow Nuke Waste Storage In Texas

    The federal government on Wednesday told U.S. Supreme Court justices that the Fifth Circuit wrongly inserted itself into the debate over U.S. nuclear waste policy by nixing federal approval for a temporary storage facility in Texas.

  • March 05, 2025

    Gun Group Urges Full 6th Circ. Take Up Sig Sauer Safety Case

    The right to keep and bear arms would be infringed if customers can sue gun manufacturers on a theory that a pistol without an external safety is defectively designed, a gun advocacy group is arguing, urging the full Sixth Circuit to review a product liability lawsuit against Sig Sauer Inc.

  • March 05, 2025

    Another Illinois Cannabis Biz Targeted In Potency Class Action

    A plaintiffs firm that has represented consumers in multiple proposed class actions against Illinois cannabis companies, alleging unlawfully high THC levels in their wares, has launched a new suit, while a pending state court action against pot giant Ascend Wellness was moved to federal court.

  • March 05, 2025

    Bauer Hockey Helmet To Blame For Nose Injury, NJ Man Says

    A New Jersey man says a hockey helmet made by Bauer is to blame for his nose injury when he was hit into the rink boards, according to a suit removed to federal court Tuesday.

  • March 05, 2025

    Insurer Wants Out Of Covering Ill. Pot Potency Suit

    Admiral Insurance Co. is asking an Illinois federal court to clear it of any duty to cover a Shelbyville dispensary in a suit alleging that it mislabeled its products to get around the state's limits on THC.

  • March 05, 2025

    Airplane Parts Makers Say Fatal Crash Order Invites 'Chaos'

    A pair of airplane parts makers have urged the North Carolina Supreme Court to reverse the dismissal of their appeal in a fatal crash case, arguing that the lower appellate court "usurped" the justices' authority by tossing the appeal despite an active stay order from the high court.

Expert Analysis

  • As EPA Backs Down, Expect Enviros To Step Up Citizen Suits

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    As President Donald Trump's U.S. Environmental Protection Agency draws down federal enforcement efforts, environmental groups will step into the void and file citizen suits — so companies should focus on compliance efforts, stay savvy about emerging analytical and monitoring methods, and maintain good relations with neighbors, say attorneys at Beveridge & Diamond.

  • What's Next For State Regulation Of Hemp Cannabinoids

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    Based on two recent federal court cases that indisputably fortify broad state authority to regulate intoxicating hemp cannabinoid products, 2025 will feature continued aggressive state regulation of such products as industry stakeholders wait for Congress to release its plans for the next five-year Farm Bill, say attorneys at Foley Hoag.

  • Series

    Collecting Rare Books Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My collection of rare books includes several written or owned by prominent lawyers from early U.S. history, and immersing myself in their stories helps me feel a deeper connection to my legal practice and its purpose, says Douglas Brown at Manatt Health.

  • What NHTSA's Autonomous Vehicle Proposal Means For Cos.

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    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's recently proposed framework for review and oversight of vehicles equipped with automated driving systems offers companies a more flexible, streamlined approach to regulatory approvals for AVs, including new exemption pathways, assessments by independent experts and other innovations, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Opinion

    Judge Should Not Have Been Reprimanded For Alito Essay

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    Senior U.S. District Judge Michael Ponsor's New York Times essay critiquing Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito for potential ethical violations absolutely cannot be construed as conduct prejudicial to the administration of the business of the courts, says Ashley London at the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University.

  • Aviation Watch: Litigation Liabilities After DC Air Tragedy

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    While it will likely take at least a year before the National Transportation Safety Board determines a probable cause for the Jan. 29 collision between a helicopter and a jet over Washington, D.C., the facts so far suggest the government could face litigation claims, says Alan Hoffman, a retired attorney and aviation expert.

  • Lights, Camera, Ethics? TV Lawyers Tend To Set Bad Example

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    Though fictional movies and television shows portraying lawyers are fun to watch, Hollywood’s inaccurate depictions of legal ethics can desensitize attorneys to ethics violations and lead real-life clients to believe that good lawyers take a scorched-earth approach, says Nancy Rapoport at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

  • Perspectives

    Accountant-Owned Law Firms Could Blur Ethical Lines

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    KPMG’s recent application to open a legal practice in Arizona represents the first overture by an accounting firm to take advantage of the state’s relaxed law firm ownership rules, but enforcing and supervising the practice of law by nonattorneys could prove particularly challenging, says Seth Laver at Goldberg Segalla.

  • AI Will Soon Transform The E-Discovery Industrial Complex

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    Todd Itami at Covington discusses how generative artificial intelligence will reshape the current e-discovery paradigm, replacing the blunt instrument of data handling with a laser scalpel of fully integrated enterprise solutions — after first making e-discovery processes technically and legally harder.

  • When Innovation Overwhelms The Rule Of Law

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    In an era where technology is rapidly evolving and artificial intelligence is seemingly everywhere, it’s worth asking if the law — both substantive precedent and procedural rules — can keep up with the light speed of innovation, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Anticipating Direction Of Cosmetics Regulation Under Trump

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    It is unclear how cosmetics regulation reform from the last few years will fare under President Donald Trump, but the new administration's emphasis on deregulation and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s views on product safety provide some insight, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

  • Imagine The Possibilities Of Openly Autistic Lawyering

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    Andi Mazingo at Lumen Law, who was diagnosed with autism about midway through her career, discusses how the legal profession can create inclusive workplaces that empower openly autistic lawyers and enhance innovation, and how neurodivergent attorneys can navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with disclosing one’s diagnosis.

  • Opinion

    Courts Should Nix Conferencing Rule In 1 Discovery Scenario

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    Parties are generally required to meet and confer to resolve a discovery dispute before bringing a related motion, but courts should dispense with this conferencing requirement when a party fails to specify a time by which it will complete its production, says Tristan Ellis at Shanies Law.

  • Series

    Documentary Filmmaking Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Becoming a documentary filmmaker has allowed me to merge my legal expertise with my passion for storytelling, and has helped me to hone negotiation, critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are important to both endeavors, says Robert Darwell at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Litigation Funding Disclosure Debate: Strategy Considerations

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    In the ongoing debate over whether courts should require disclosure of litigation funding, funders and plaintiffs tend to argue against such mandates, but voluntarily disclosing limited details about a funding arrangement can actually confer certain benefits to plaintiffs in some scenarios, say Andrew Stulce and Marc Cavan at Longford Capital.

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