Product Liability

  • June 13, 2025

    GM Can't Arbitrate Driver's Transmission Defect Suit

    General Motors can't rely on an arbitration clause contained in a purchase agreement between a plaintiff customer and a dealership to arbitrate his claims alleging GM made cars with a defective transmission, after a Michigan federal judge ruled Friday the clause doesn't cover GM, which wasn't a party to the contract. 

  • June 13, 2025

    Shein Faces Arbitration Push Over Paid Influencer Claims

    The Singapore-based owner of fast-fashion retailer Shein has told an Illinois federal judge that a proposed class of consumers must arbitrate their claims accusing the global e-commerce platform of trying to hide that it paid social media influencers to promote its products.

  • June 13, 2025

    DC Circ. Urged To Reject Approval For Braille-Free Drug Label

    Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. is urging the D.C. Circuit to reverse a lower court decision upholding the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval of a generic sleep-disorder drug without Braille labeling, a move the company argues jeopardizes patient safety.

  • June 13, 2025

    Trump's Firing Of CPSC Commissioners Ruled Illegal

    A Maryland judge ruled Friday that the removal of three U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission commissioners by President Donald Trump was unlawful, finding a 1935 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that protected a Federal Trade Commission member from removal applies to the members of the CPSC. 

  • June 13, 2025

    Chervon, Lowe's Say Recall Blocks Explosive Battery Suit

    Chervon North America Inc. and Lowe's Home Centers LLC urged an Illinois federal court Friday to throw out a proposed class action alleging they made and sold lithium-ion batteries that were prone to overheating and combusting, saying a December recall already provided all the relief the plaintiffs could receive.

  • June 13, 2025

    Hemp Vape Maker Wants Out Of Buyer's Delta-9 THC Suit

    The maker of hemp-based electronic cigarettes under the Cake brand is asking a California federal judge to throw out a buyer's claim that the products illegally exceed federal thresholds for delta-9 THC content, saying his vague complaint doesn't meet pleading standards.

  • June 12, 2025

    Air India Crash — Boeing 787 Dreamliner: What Do We Know?

    The Boeing Co. is bracing for renewed scrutiny after Thursday's deadly crash of an Air India flight with 242 people onboard as another line of its jets — this time, its 787-8 Dreamliner — is involved in an overseas aviation disaster just as the company was eyeing a fresh chapter following its 737 Max crisis.

  • June 12, 2025

    'I Want Names': YouTube Attys' MDL Redactions Face Scrutiny

    A California federal magistrate judge ordered YouTube on Thursday to provide him with unredacted versions of documents it produced in sprawling multidistrict litigation over claims social media is addictive, and demanded that YouTube identify counsel who made its relevance-redaction determinations, saying. "I want names and I want teams."

  • June 12, 2025

    Roundup Plaintiffs' Rip Of Expert Was Off Base, Jury Hears

    A Missouri jury weighing a Roundup cancer case heard expert testimony Thursday that plaintiffs offered a "remarkable mischaracterization" of a defense expert witness on cancer causation when they said in openings that he was "discredited."

  • June 12, 2025

    Volkswagen Beats SUV Owner's Out-Of-Warranty Defect Suit

    An Alabama federal judge on Wednesday tossed a Volkswagen owner's putative class action accusing the automaker of refusing to cover her allegedly defective SUV under warranty, saying the driver sought repairs outside of warranty limits and failed to show that the vehicle was so unsafe that it was defective.

  • June 12, 2025

    Holmes Seeks 2 Year Cut, Commits To Criminal Justice Work

    Elizabeth Holmes has asked a California federal judge to knock two years off her 11-year prison sentence, arguing she's eligible for the adjustment under sentencing guidelines and has spent her time behind bars tutoring and advocating for her fellow prisoners.

  • June 12, 2025

    Ohio Law Bars Cities' Negligence Claims Against Hyundai, Kia

    A California federal court sided with Hyundai and Kia by finding that an Ohio products liability law bars negligence claims from five Ohio cities in sprawling multidistrict litigation alleging the automakers knowingly sold vehicles with design flaws that resulted in a car theft crime spree.

  • June 12, 2025

    Insurer Says Hair Relaxer Maker Not Covered In Cancer Suits

    An insurer told a Georgia federal court that it had no duty to defend a hair relaxer and beauty products manufacturer in underlying litigation filed by people who alleged that chemicals in hair relaxer products the company produced caused them to develop cancer and suffer bodily injuries.

  • June 12, 2025

    GlaxoSmithKline Settles Conn. Generic Zantac Suits

    GlaxoSmithKline on Thursday agreed to settle two Connecticut lawsuits, one by seven plaintiffs and the other by 11, that claimed generic forms of the brand name heartburn and acid reflux drug Zantac degraded into a substance that caused cancer.

  • June 12, 2025

    3rd Circ. Will Reconsider Shipbuilder's Ch. 11 Reopening Bid

    The Third Circuit said Thursday that it will reconsider whether to reopen Congoleum Corp.'s 2003 Chapter 11 bankruptcy so the bankruptcy court, not a district court, can say whether Congoleum affiliate Bath Iron Works should share liability for cleaning up a polluted New Jersey river.

  • June 12, 2025

    Hemp Retailer Sues DC, Feds Over District's Cannabis Policy

    A Washington, D.C., hemp retailer has filed a pair of complementary lawsuits challenging the tangled enforcement and regulatory policies that govern cannabis and hemp in the nation's capital.

  • June 12, 2025

    8th Circ. Stubs Out Challenge To FDA Menthol Vape Denial

    The Eighth Circuit on Thursday threw out a challenge from SWT Global Supply Inc. to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's denial of its application to market menthol-flavored e-cigarettes, saying the agency didn't arbitrarily or capriciously find that the company's sales plan failed to meet its standards for promoting public health.

  • June 12, 2025

    Fla. Court Nixes Roundup Cancer Suit's Punitive Damages Bid

    A Florida state appeals court has refused to let a plaintiff pursue punitive damages against Monsanto Co. in his suit alleging that glyphosate in the company's Roundup weedkiller caused his non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, finding he didn't present sufficient evidence to support the damages.

  • June 12, 2025

    Approach The Bench: Judge Proctor On Civility, Civil Rules

    R. David Proctor, chief judge of the Northern District of Alabama, is a leader within the federal judiciary. He's both assigned and presided over multidistrict litigation. He may write a nationwide rule governing third-party litigation funding. And he's gained internet fame for ordering two attorneys to eat lunch together.

  • June 11, 2025

    9th Circ. Doubts Kleenex Ad Fight Belongs In District Court

    Two judges on a Ninth Circuit panel doubted Wednesday that they have jurisdictional authority to revive a putative class action alleging Kimberly-Clark Corp.'s Kleenex Wet Wipes Germ Removal products mislead consumers about its ability to kill germs, saying repeatedly that the consumers' complaint has not met their burden to establish jurisdiction.

  • June 11, 2025

    Acura Drivers' Attys Get $8.5M In Bluetooth Device Settlement

    A California federal judge has granted final approval to a deal between a class of Acura drivers and American Honda Motor Co., settling claims over alleged defects in vehicles' Bluetooth hands-free systems and awarding class counsel $8.56 million in attorney fees — an amount reduced from the attorneys' original $10.9 million request.

  • June 11, 2025

    Senate Panel Vets Trump FAA Pick's Aviation Safety Priorities

    President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Federal Aviation Administration pledged Wednesday to prioritize air traffic control upgrades, bolster staffing and reinvigorate safety programs, but deflected Democrats' repeated demands that he promise to preserve a 1,500-hour pilot training rule.

  • June 11, 2025

    Wash. Panel Grills Worker Family On $5M Asbestos Win Basis

    A Washington appellate panel seemed skeptical Wednesday that a family's $5.5 million win against an industrial manufacturer could stand when it never made the asbestos-containing equipment at issue in the product liability case, with one judge also remarking the company had raised a "hard argument" on appeal.

  • June 11, 2025

    9th Circ. Judge Doubts Apple ICloud Buyer's Storage Appeal

    A Ninth Circuit judge on a panel appeared skeptical Wednesday of an Apple consumer's bid to revive a proposed class action alleging the tech giant shortchanged tens of millions of paying iCloud subscribers out of 5 gigabytes of the storage space, saying the consumer "got exactly what you were promised."

  • June 11, 2025

    American Airlines Workers Win $18.7M Toxic Uniform Award

    A California state jury has awarded $18.7 million to five American Airlines flight attendants who blamed their employer and a uniform maker for causing them to suffer injuries due to uniforms made with toxic chemicals.

Expert Analysis

  • Making The Case For Rest In The Legal Profession

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    For too long, a culture of overwork has plagued the legal profession, but research shows that attorneys need rest to perform optimally and sustainably, so legal organizations and individuals must implement strategies that allow for restoration, says Marissa Alert at MDA Wellness, Carol Ross-Burnett at CRB Global, and Denise Robinson at The Still Center.

  • Opinion

    CPSC's Amazon Ruling Is A Win For Safety, Accountability

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    A recent U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission order classifying Amazon.com as a distributor, and requiring it to comply with notice, recall, refund and remediation obligations for defective products, is a major victory for consumer safety — and for attorneys pursuing product liability claims against major online retailers, says Donald Fountain at Clark Fountain.

  • 4 Ways Women Attorneys Can Build A Legal Legacy

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    This Women’s History Month, women attorneys should consider what small, day-to-day actions they can take to help leave a lasting impact for future generations, even if it means mentoring one person or taking 10 minutes to make a plan, says Jackie Prester, a former shareholder at Baker Donelson.

  • A Judge's Pointers For Adding Spice To Dry Legal Writing

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    U.S. District Judge Fred Biery shares a few key lessons about how to go against the grain of the legal writing tradition by adding color to bland judicial opinions, such as by telling a human story and injecting literary devices where possible.

  • Unpacking Liability When AI Makes A Faulty Decision

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    As artificial intelligence systems become more autonomous and influential in decision-making, concerns about AI-related harms and problematic decisions are growing, raising the pressing question of who bears the liability, says Megha Kumar at CyXcel.

  • What Advisory On Alcohol And Cancer May Mean For Cos.

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    While the federal government has yet to take concrete steps in response to a January advisory from the outgoing U.S. surgeon general on links between alcohol consumption and cancer, the statement has opened the door to potential regulatory, legislative and litigation challenges for the alcoholic beverage industry, say attorneys at Mayer Brown.

  • 6th Circ. Ruling Paves Path Out Of Loper Bright 'Twilight Zone'

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s Loper Bright ruling created a twilight zone between express statutory delegations that trigger agency deference and implicit ones that do not, but the Sixth Circuit’s recent ruling in Moctezuma-Reyes v. Garland crafted a two-part test for resolving cases within this gray area, say attorneys at Wiley.

  • Navigating The Uncertain Future Of The Superfund PFAS Rule

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    The D.C. Circuit's recent grant of a pause in litigation while the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reviews the Biden-era designation of two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances as "hazardous" under the Superfund law creates new uncertainty for companies — but more lawsuits are likely as long as the rule remains in effect, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • What To Know About Insurance Coverage For Greenwashing

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    As the number of public and private lawsuits relating to greenwashing dramatically grows, risk managers of companies making environmental claims should look to several types of insurance for coverage in the event of a suit, say attorneys at Hunton.

  • 7 Tips For Associates To Thrive In Hybrid Work Environments

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    As the vast majority of law firms have embraced some type of hybrid work policy, associates should consider a few strategies to get the most out of both their in-person and remote workdays, says James Argionis at Cozen O’Connor.

  • Series

    Playing Beach Volleyball Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My commitment to beach volleyball has become integral to my performance as an attorney, with the sport continually reminding me that teamwork, perseverance, professionalism and stress management are essential to both undertakings, says Amy Drushal at Trenam.

  • Opinion

    California Climate Lawsuit Bill Is Constitutionally Flawed

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    A bill in the California Legislature that would let victims of climate-related disasters like the Los Angeles wildfires sue oil and gas producers for spreading misinformation about climate change is too vague, retroactive and focused on one industry to survive constitutional scrutiny, says Kyla Christoffersen Powell at the Civil Justice Association of California.

  • What To Expect From 'Make America Healthy Again' Actions

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    The Make America Healthy Again Commission recently established by President Donald Trump and chaired by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will potentially bring energy and attention to important public health topics, and stakeholders should be aware of pathways for sharing their input and proactively informing proceedings, says Nicholas Manetto at Faegre Drinker.

  • How Law Firms Can Counteract The Loneliness Epidemic

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    The legal industry is facing an urgent epidemic of loneliness, affecting lawyer well-being, productivity, retention and profitability, and law firm leaders should take concrete steps to encourage the development of genuine workplace connections, says Michelle Gomez at Littler and Gwen Mellor Romans at Herald Talent.

  • What's At Stake In High Court's Class Member Standing Case

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s eventual decision in Labcorp v. Davis could significantly alter how parties prosecute and defend class actions in federal court, particularly if the court determines some proof of member standing is required before a class may be certified, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

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