Product Liability

  • February 20, 2026

    Tesla Can't Escape $243M Autopilot Crash Verdict

    A Florida federal judge refused Friday to undo a $243 million verdict against Tesla, finding evidence presented at trial "more than supports" a jury's determination that the carmaker's Autopilot system contributed to a fatal 2019 crash.

  • February 19, 2026

    Meta Doesn't Understand Its Own Algorithms, Ex-VP Testifies

    A former vice president at Meta Platforms Inc. told a California jury Thursday in a landmark bellwether trial over claims the company's Instagram and Google LLC's YouTube harm children's mental health that he quit because he was deeply concerned about safety, and that even Meta's own experts don't understand how its algorithms work.

  • February 19, 2026

    Cisco Warns Justices Of 'Serious Risks' In China Torture Case

    Cisco has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to toss a suit alleging that the tech company aided the Chinese government's allegedly unlawful torture of Falun Gong members, saying a green light would pose "serious risks" to foreign relations and foreign policy.

  • February 19, 2026

    Wash. Justices Say Amazon Must Face Chemical Suicide Suits

    The Washington Supreme Court on Thursday revived negligence lawsuits against Amazon brought by the families of four people who killed themselves by ingesting high-potency sodium nitrite purchased on the e-commerce platform, finding the company had a duty to avoid exposing online shoppers to foreseeable harm from items sold on its website.

  • February 19, 2026

    Lyft Must Share Driver Records In Uber Sexual Assault Suit

    Lyft Inc. must hand over sexual misconduct records it has on four men who allegedly assaulted and raped passengers while driving for Uber, a California federal judge has ruled, saying such documents could show that Uber, the defendant in multidistrict litigation, knew of the drivers' past conduct.

  • February 19, 2026

    3M Wants Michigan Landfills' Contamination Suit Tossed

    3M Company has asked a Michigan federal court to dismiss two landfills' claims that it was responsible for the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals, or PFAS, through decades-old sales of Scotchgard, saying the suit attempts to reframe routine product sales as a waste disposal scheme.

  • February 19, 2026

    Scientist Must Give Splenda Maker Emails With In-House Attys

    A scientist battling a lawsuit by the maker of Splenda over her research linking the artificial sweetener to cancer-causing chemicals must turn over emails with her employer's in-house counsel, a North Carolina magistrate judge ruled, finding they are not protected by privilege.

  • February 19, 2026

    Ga. Appeals Court Weighs Kratom Seller's Liability

    A Georgia appellate court on Thursday gave little indication on whether it would reverse a trial court's grant of summary judgment to a kratom distributor whose customer died after consuming one of its products.

  • February 19, 2026

    Travelers Must Defend Ag Co.'s Herbicide Suit, With Limits

    A Delaware state judge has found that Travelers Casualty and Surety Co. must fund the defense of an agricultural chemical company in six suits alleging that a chemical made by its predecessors gave users Parkinson's and kidney failure but that its defense can be limited under some of the policies at issue.

  • February 19, 2026

    AstraZeneca Prevails In Whistleblower Suit 9th Circ. Revived

    An Oregon federal judge tossed a former AstraZeneca sales manager's whistleblower claims that she was fired for accusing a colleague of promoting off-label drugs, in a case that took a trip to the Ninth Circuit and back.

  • February 19, 2026

    'Sealed Container' Defense Sinks Exploding Battery Suit

    A North Carolina appeals panel won't revive a man's suit against a retailer and distributor alleging he was sold a defective lithium-ion battery that exploded in his pocket, saying all his claims are blocked by the sealed container defense.

  • February 19, 2026

    Trump Orders Weedkiller Glyphosate Production Hike

    President Donald Trump issued an executive order late Wednesday aimed at ramping up the production of glyphosate, the active ingredient in the weedkiller Roundup that has been accused of causing cancer in scores of lawsuits, including one on appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

  • February 19, 2026

    BakerHostetler Adds Contaminants Pro From DLA Piper

    BakerHostetler announced on Thursday that it has brought a San Francisco-based attorney from DLA Piper onto its product liability and toxic tort and environmental teams, calling him "one of the country's leading emerging contaminants litigators."

  • February 18, 2026

    Zuckerberg Testifies That Social Media Doesn't Harm Teens

    Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stand Wednesday in a landmark California bellwether trial on claims his company and Google's YouTube harm children's mental health, saying the current scientific literature shows no causal link between social media and teens' mental health.

  • February 18, 2026

    Blue Shield Of Calif. Says 'Ghost Network' Action Falls Flat

    Trouble finding a mental health care therapist is unfortunate but not something that an entire class action can be based on, argued Blue Shield of California, urging a federal judge to dismiss a suit accusing the company of maintaining a "ghost network" directory of providers who don't exist or don't accept new patients.

  • February 18, 2026

    Halfday's 'Gut Healthy' Teas Aren't That Gut Healthy, Suit Says

    Halfday was hit with a proposed class action in New York federal court on Tuesday, alleging it deceptively advertises its iced teas as having "prebiotic benefits" despite the fact that they only contain six grams of soluble fiber, which is unlikely to have any meaningful effect on consumers' gut health.

  • February 18, 2026

    Canada's Olympic Body Joins NHL, CHL Antitrust Defense

    Canadian hockey officials asked the Ninth Circuit to reject an appeal from junior players who sued the National Hockey League and its pipeline organizations over alleged antitrust violations, arguing certain rules actually benefit the community and foster competition.

  • February 18, 2026

    GM Sued Over Alleged Defect In Brake System

    GM on Wednesday was hit with a proposed class action in Michigan federal court alleging that for years the automaker has failed to warn that the brake system in certain models can fail suddenly, making it almost impossible for drivers to depress the brake pedal in emergencies.

  • February 18, 2026

    DTE Energy Hit With $100M Fine In Clean Air Act Action

    Energy company DTE Energy Co. and its subsidiaries were hit with a $100 million civil penalty and ordered to fund a $20 million air quality program after a Michigan federal judge found they violated the Clean Air Act by illegally modifying a steel-manufacturing-related facility, resulting in higher levels of pollution.

  • February 18, 2026

    Social Media Cos. Can't Nix Experts In Schools' Health Trial

    The California federal judge overseeing multidistrict litigation claiming social media harms kids' mental health denied bids by Meta, TikTok, Google and SnapChat to block six experts' testimony on the alleged disruption and costs to school districts from a June bellwether trial over a Kentucky school district's claims.

  • February 18, 2026

    Talc Lawsuits Force Mining Co. Into Ch. 11 With Sale Plan

    Vanderbilt Minerals, which mines and processes clay and other materials, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing an increase in lawsuits over alleged cancer-causing asbestos in its products.

  • February 18, 2026

    FDA Changes Mind, Will Review Moderna MRNA Flu Vaccine

    Moderna on Wednesday said that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has decided to review its application for its influenza vaccine, a week after the agency refused to consider the application for the new experimental vaccine.

  • February 18, 2026

    Talc Claimants Tell 2nd Circ. Revlon Must Allow Late Claims

    A group of talc liability claimants on Wednesday asked the Second Circuit to find reorganized cosmetics company Revlon has to pay out for their injury claims despite those claims being filed past the deadline in the company's Chapter 11 case.

  • February 18, 2026

    Nicotine Pouch Co. Says FDA Unfairly Applies Tobacco Regs

    A nicotine oral pouch maker is suing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in D.C. federal court, saying the agency is arbitrarily requiring it to perform the same health studies for premarket authorization as tobacco products, despite acknowledging that its products have fewer health risks than cigarettes or other tobacco products.

  • February 17, 2026

    Uber Wins 'Partial' Atty Fees Reimbursement In Assault MDL

    Uber can get $30,000 from an opposing attorney as "partial reimbursement" for the ride-hailing company's attorney fees in multidistrict litigation over sexual assault liability, a California federal judge ruled Tuesday, ordering the payment as a sanction against the attorney for disclosing confidential Uber information in other lawsuits.

Expert Analysis

  • False Ad Suit Shows Need For Clear, Conspicuous Disclosure

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    The Eleventh Circuit's recent false advertising decision in Federal Trade Commission v. Corpay reiterated the FTC's guidance imploring advertisers to ensure that any disclosures are clear and conspicuous to consumers, providing companies with numerous lessons about truthful advertising and highlighting some common disclosure pitfalls to avoid, says Michael Justus at Carlton Fields.

  • How Generative AI Cos. Can Navigate Product Liability Claims

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    Increasingly, plaintiffs are aggregating disputes over generative artificial intelligence and pursuing them through mass-tort-style proceedings, borrowing tactics from litigation involving social media, pharmaceuticals and other consumer-facing products — but there are approaches that AI companies can use to narrow claims and manage long-term exposure, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

  • And Now A Word From The Panel: MDL Year In Review

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    2025 was a roller coaster for the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, with the panel canceling one hearing session due to the absence of new MDL petitions, yet also issuing rulings on more new MDL petitions than in 2024 — making it clear that MDLs are still thriving, says Alan Rothman at Sidley Austin.

  • Class Actions At The Circuit Courts: January Lessons

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    In this month's review of class action appeals, Mitchell Engel at Shook Hardy discusses five rulings from October and November, and identifies practice tips from cases involving consumer fraud, oil and gas leases, toxic torts, and wage and hour issues.

  • Series

    Judges On AI: How Judicial Use Informs Guardrails

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    U.S. Magistrate Judge Maritza Dominguez Braswell at the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado discusses why having a sense of how generative AI tools behave, where they add value, where they introduce risk and how they are reshaping the practice of law is key for today's judges.

  • What US Cos. Must Know To Comply With Italy's AI Law

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    Italy's newly effective artificial intelligence law means U.S. companies operating in Italy or serving Italian customers must now meet EU AI Act obligations as well as Italy-specific requirements, including immediately enforceable criminal penalties, designated national authorities and sector-specific mandates, say attorneys at Portolano Cavallo.

  • Navigating Battery Validation Risk In The EV Supply Chain

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    Vehicle electrification has moved battery system supply chains from a background component into the center of the automotive universe — and for legal teams, battery validation is now a driver of contractual disputes, regulatory exposure and even shareholder litigation, say Samuel Madden at Secretariat Advisors and Vanessa Miller at Foley & Lardner.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: 5 Tips From Ex-SEC Unit Chief

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    My move to private practice has reaffirmed my belief in the value of adaptability, collaboration and strategic thinking — qualities that are essential not only for successful client outcomes, but also for sustained professional satisfaction, says Dabney O’Riordan at Fried Frank.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: How To Start A Law Firm

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    Launching and sustaining a law firm requires skills most law schools don't teach, but every lawyer should understand a few core principles that can make the leap calculated rather than reckless, says Sam Katz at Athlaw.

  • Key False Claims Act Trends From The Last Year

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    The False Claims Act remains a powerful enforcement tool after some record verdicts and settlements in 2025, and while traditional fraud areas remain a priority, new initiatives are raising questions about its expanding application, says Veronica Nannis at Joseph Greenwald.

  • Reel Justice: 'Die My Love' And The Power Of Visuals At Trial

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    The powerful use of imagery to capture the protagonist’s experience of postpartum depression in “Die My Love” reminds attorneys that visuals at trial can persuade jurors more than words alone, so they should strategically wield a new federal evidence rule allowing for illustrative aids, says Veronica Finkelstein at Wilmington University.

  • Opinion

    It's Too Soon To Remove Suicide Warnings From GLP-1 Drugs

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    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's decision this month to order removal of warnings about the risk of suicidal thoughts from GLP-1 weight-loss drugs is premature — and from a safety and legal standpoint, the downside of acting too soon could be profound, says Sean Domnick at Rafferty Domnick.

  • Series

    Hosting Exchange Students Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Opening my home to foreign exchange students makes me a better lawyer not just because prioritizing visiting high schoolers forces me to hone my organization and time management skills but also because sharing the study-abroad experience with newcomers and locals reconnects me to my community, says Alison Lippa at Nicolaides Fink.

  • FDA's 2025 Enforcement Scorecard Highlights Data Focus

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    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's increased enforcement activity in 2025 was driven by artificial intelligence and a focus on foreign manufacturers, necessitating proactive compliance strategies for an environment that is increasingly reliant on data, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

  • How A 1947 Tugboat Ruling May Shape Work Product In AI Era

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    Rapid advances in generative artificial intelligence test work-product principles first articulated in the U.S. Supreme Court’s nearly 80-year-old Hickman v. Taylor decision, as courts and ethics bodies confront whether disclosure of attorneys’ AI prompts and outputs would reveal their thought processes, say Larry Silver and Sasha Burton at Langsam Stevens.

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