Product Liability

  • April 29, 2024

    Singapore Tech Co. To Pay FTC $1.17M In Mask False Ad Suit

    The Federal Trade Commission has inked a $1.17 million deal with Singaporean American company Razer Inc. and its affiliates to resolve claims that it falsely advertised its "Zephyr" air purifier masks as being equivalent to N95 face masks.

  • April 29, 2024

    HHS Delays Menthol Cigarette Ban Indefinitely

    U.S. Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra said Friday that a proposed ban on menthol cigarettes has been put on hold for now, citing the need to process considerable feedback from civil rights groups and the criminal justice movement.

  • April 29, 2024

    Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

    A multibillion-dollar Tesla trust proposal, a Truth Social bond, power plays over Prince's estate, and three in the ring for World Wrestling Entertainment. All of this and much more came up in Delaware Chancery Court dockets last week.

  • April 29, 2024

    Drivers, Ford Agree To Resolve Mustang 'Limp Mode' Suit

    Ford Motor Co. and consumers have agreed to settle a Florida federal lawsuit over an alleged defect in Shelby Mustang vehicles, reaching an "agreement in principle" to resolve claims that the cars resorted to a performance-reducing "limp mode" after a short period of heavy engine use.

  • April 29, 2024

    Builders Say State Rulemaking At Stake In Mich. PFAS Case

    A homebuilders' group has backed industrial giant 3M in urging the state's highest court to preserve a lower court ruling wiping out limits on forever chemicals, with a trade group official saying the decision could affect other state agency rulemaking.

  • April 29, 2024

    Fruit Co. Must Face Pollution Suit From Tribe, Enviro Groups

    A Michigan federal judge has ruled a fruit and vegetable company can't escape claims it unlawfully contaminated nearby wetlands with polluted wastewater discharges, saying the company's defense essentially ignores the primary theory of liability put forward by a Native American tribe and two environmental groups. 

  • April 29, 2024

    Connecticut Firm Seeks $500K Fee In Magnesium Class Action

    A Connecticut law firm has asked a New Jersey federal judge to approve its request for $500,000 in attorney fees and expenses for its representation in a class action over a company's allegedly deceptive advertising of a magnesium supplement.

  • April 29, 2024

    High Court To Decide Jurisdiction In Dog Food Label Suit

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to take up an appeal from Royal Canin USA Inc. and Nestle Purina PetCare Co. in a dispute over whether a suit alleging they falsely represent their products as prescriptions belongs in state or federal court.

  • April 29, 2024

    Justices To Weigh RICO Injury Scope In CBD Case

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a case brought by a trio of CBD companies asking the justices to establish whether a plaintiff can bring a personal injury claim under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.

  • April 29, 2024

    Philips Inks $1.1B Deal To Resolve CPAP Injury Claims

    The plaintiffs' attorneys leading a multidistrict litigation against Koninklijke Philips NV and some of its American subsidiaries announced Monday that they had reached a $1.1 billion settlement agreement for plaintiffs claiming that degraded foam in their breathing machines caused them personal injuries or will require long-term medical monitoring.

  • April 26, 2024

    Law360 Reveals Titans Of The Plaintiffs Bar

    In the past year, plaintiffs have won settlements and judgments for millions and billions of dollars from companies such as Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Facebook and Fox News, with many high-profile cases finally wrapping up after years of fighting. Such cases — involving over-the-top compensation packages, chemical contamination, gender discrimination and data mining — were led by attorneys whose accomplishments earned them recognition as Law360's Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar for 2024.

  • April 26, 2024

    Ex-McKinsey Partner Says Firm Made Him Opioids 'Scapegoat'

    A former McKinsey & Co. partner lobbed defamation claims at the consulting firm, claiming Friday that it lied to the government and the public about his purported role in deleting evidence amid government investigations into the firm's work with opioid manufacturers, an alleged scheme designed to make him the "scapegoat."

  • April 26, 2024

    New FDA Official Talks Food Safety After Formula Outbreak

    James "Jim" Jones, the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration deputy commissioner for human food, was named to the role last year in the wake of an infant formula contamination outbreak. He sat down this week with Law360 to discuss what he's learned from his first months in the position.

  • April 26, 2024

    Frito-Lay Subcontractors Hit With $72M Factory Death Verdict

    A Dallas County jury has awarded a nearly $72 million verdict to the family of a man who plunged to his death at a Frito-Lay facility, finding that his employer and another subcontractor working at the facility were liable for the accident.

  • April 26, 2024

    Rail Group Sues Minnesota Over New Hazmat Safety Fee Law

    The lead lobbying group for the largest freight railroads sued Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison in federal court on Friday, challenging a state law requiring railroads to dedicate $2.8 million for responding to hazardous material incidents.

  • April 26, 2024

    French Auto Parts Co. Can't Nix Ford Supplier's $4.5M Suit

    A French automotive company can't evade a $4.5 million lawsuit accusing it of selling defective speed sensors that were later built into Ford vehicles, causing oil leaks and short circuits, a Michigan federal judge ruled, saying the company is subject to the court's jurisdiction.

  • April 26, 2024

    Feds Probe Tesla Autopilot Recall Fix Amid 'Misuse' Risks

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating whether Tesla's software update following a December recall, intended to more clearly warn drivers to stay alert and attentive while using its vehicles' Autopilot advanced driver-assistance system, effectively addressed the risks of "driver misuse."

  • April 26, 2024

    5th Circ. Upholds Pecan Farm's Flood Win Against Sand Mine

    A Fifth Circuit panel has upheld a more than $659,000 jury verdict against the owner of a sand and gravel mine after a "120-year flood" event severely damaged an Austin pecan farm, holding the evidence showed the company's large freshwater pit was responsible for the damage.

  • April 26, 2024

    Commerce Restricts Gun Exports To 'High-Risk' Countries

    The U.S. Department of Commerce on Friday issued a rule restricting exports of firearms and ammunition to "high-risk" countries, a move it said is intended to avoid U.S. national security and foreign policy interests being undermined by misuse of those weapons.

  • April 26, 2024

    Insurers Say BASF Can't Seek Same PFAS Coverage In 3 Suits

    BASF Corp.'s insurers have said a South Carolina federal court lacked jurisdiction and should toss the chemical manufacturer's case in favor of similar New Jersey state litigation seeking coverage for thousands of underlying allegations that a substance made for firefighting foam caused pollution and injury.

  • April 26, 2024

    $2.3B Roundup Win 'Unconstitutionally Excessive,' Judge Told

    Counsel for Roundup maker and Bayer AG unit Monsanto asked a Philadelphia judge on Friday to undo a $2.25 billion award to a man who claimed the weed killer caused him to develop lymphoma, calling the massive verdict "unconstitutionally excessive" during a state court hearing.

  • April 26, 2024

    RJR Gets $12M Judgment Tossed In Tobacco Death Suit

    A Florida appeals panel on Friday threw out a $12 million judgment against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. in a wrongful death suit by the wife of a smoker, saying the evidence didn't support the jury's finding in the wife's favor on her conspiracy to fraudulently conceal claim.

  • April 25, 2024

    Lockheed Martin Sued By Widow Over 'Toxic Stew' At Facility

    The widow of a former Lockheed Martin Corp. employee sued the aerospace defense company on Wednesday in Florida federal court, alleging her husband died because of Lockheed's "reckless mismanagement" of dangerous chemicals at a weapons manufacturing facility.

  • April 25, 2024

    9th Circ. Upholds $1.7M Injury Verdict Against Genie

    Equipment manufacturer Genie Industries Inc. can't upend a jury verdict and a $1.7 million judgment awarded to a Portland, Oregon, shipyard worker who was injured by the company's allegedly defective lift boom, the Ninth Circuit has ruled, rejecting the arguments that he failed to prove his injuries were permanent.

  • April 25, 2024

    Conn. Judge Sends Colo. Mass Shooting Cases To State Court

    A Connecticut federal judge sent two lawsuits against gunmaker Sturm Ruger & Co. Inc. back to state court Thursday, finding that the complaints brought by the estates of two Colorado mass shooting victims did not meet a key standard for handling the claims in federal court.

Expert Analysis

  • Preparing Law Students For A New, AI-Assisted Legal World

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    As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the legal landscape, law schools must integrate technology and curricula that address AI’s innate challenges — from ethics to data security — to help students stay ahead of the curve, say Daniel Garrie at Law & Forensics, Ryan Abbott at JAMS and Karen Silverman at Cantellus Group.

  • How Social Media Can Affect Trial Outcomes

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    With social media’s ability to seize upon an issue and spin it into a specifically designed narrative, it is more critical than ever that a litigation communications strategy be part of trial planning to manage the impact of legal action on a company's reputation, say Sean Murphy and Steve Wood at Courtroom Sciences.

  • General Counsel Need Data Literacy To Keep Up With AI

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    With the rise of accessible and powerful generative artificial intelligence solutions, it is imperative for general counsel to understand the use and application of data for myriad important activities, from evaluating the e-discovery process to monitoring compliance analytics and more, says Colin Levy at Malbek.

  • Opinion

    Civil Litigation Against Gun Businesses Can Reduce Violence

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    With mass shootings skyrocketing, and gun control legislation blocked by powerful interest groups, civil litigation can help obtain justice for victims by targeting parties responsible beyond the immediate perpetrator — including gun manufacturers, dealers and retailers, says Tom D'Amore at D'Amore Law Group.

  • Navigating Discovery Of Generative AI Information

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    As generative artificial intelligence tools become increasingly ubiquitous, companies must make sure to preserve generative AI data when there is reasonable expectation of litigation, and to include transcripts in litigation hold notices, as they may be relevant to discovery requests, say Nick Peterson and Corey Hauser at Wiley.

  • Finding Focus: Strategies For Attorneys With ADHD

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    Given the prevalence of ADHD among attorneys, it is imperative that the legal community gain a better understanding of how ADHD affects well-being, and that resources and strategies exist for attorneys with this disability to manage their symptoms and achieve success, say Casey Dixon at Dixon Life Coaching and Krista Larson at Stinson.

  • Opinion

    Time To Ban Deferred Prosecution For Fatal Corporate Crime

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    As illustrated by prosecutors’ deals with Boeing and other companies, deferred prosecution agreements have strayed far from their original purpose, and Congress must ban the use of this tool in cases where corporate misconduct has led to fatalities, says Peter Reilly at Texas A&M University School of Law.

  • Why Hemp-Synthesized Intoxicants Need Uniform Regs

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    State laws regulating hemp-synthesized intoxicants are a patchwork with little consistency between any given state, and without the adoption of a uniform regulatory framework, producers and consumers alike will need to be very cautious, say Dylan Anderson and Seth Goldberg at Duane Morris.

  • Attorneys, Law Schools Must Adapt To New Era Of Evidence

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    Technological advancements mean more direct evidence is being created than ever before, and attorneys as well as law schools must modify their methods to account for new challenges in how this evidence is collected and used to try cases, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Analyzing The Legal Ripples Of The EPA's PFAS Regulation

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    As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency makes major moves on its pledge to regulate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, the developing body of PFAS regulation will lead to an increase in litigation, and personal injury and product liability claims, say attorneys at Gordon & Rees.

  • Boeing Opinion Strikes Blow Against Overpayment Theory

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    The Fifth Circuit's decision in Earl v. Boeing Co. casts doubt on consumers' standing to bring claims of overpayment for products later revealed to have defects — and suggests that it's more likely that those products would have been removed from the market, driving up the price of alternatives, say attorneys at Bush Seyferth.

  • Tips For Litigating Against Pro Se Parties In Complex Disputes

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    Litigating against self-represented parties in complex cases can pose unique challenges for attorneys, but for the most part, it requires the same skills that are useful in other cases — from documenting everything to understanding one’s ethical duties, says Bryan Ketroser at Alto Litigation.

  • Opinion

    Test Results Signal Poor Odds For Lead Cables Litigation

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    After sites in New York and New Jersey allegedly contaminated with lead by telecommunications cables were found by state and federal agencies to present no imminent threats to public health, it seems unlikely that mass litigation over this issue by plaintiffs firms or state attorneys general will succeed, says Andrew Ketterer at Ketterer & Ketterer.

  • Ga. Ruling A Win For Plaintiffs Injured By Older Products

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    The Georgia Supreme Court's recent opinion in Ford Motor Co. v. Cosper gives plaintiffs the assurance that even if they are injured by older products, they can still bring claims under state law if the manufacturer used a design that it knew, or should have known, created a risk of substantial harm, says Rob Snyder at Cannella Snyder.

  • Class Action Defense: Don't Give Up On Bristol-Myers Squibb

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    Federal appellate court decisions in the six years since the U.S. Supreme Court decided Bristol-Myers Squibb show that it's anyone's ballgame in class action jurisdictional arguments, so defendants are encouraged to consider carefully whether, where and when arguing lack of specific personal jurisdiction may be advantageous, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

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