Product Liability

  • October 09, 2024

    9th Circ. Doubts 'Weak' Jeep Transmission Defect Suit

    A Ninth Circuit panel appeared skeptical Wednesday about reviving a putative class action over alleged defects in the automatic transmission systems of some Jeep and Dodge car models, with one appellate judge saying the plaintiff has "a weak case." 

  • October 09, 2024

    Louisiana Judge Reopens EPA's Enforcement Against Denka

    A Louisiana federal judge on Tuesday reopened the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's lawsuit alleging some of a neoprene manufacturer's air emissions pose a health threat to the surrounding community.

  • October 09, 2024

    Philips Preserves Lanham Act Counterclaim In CPAP Cleaner MDL

    A Pennsylvania federal judge has trimmed some counterclaims by Koninklijke Philips NV and its American affiliates against SoClean Inc., whose cleaning products they say are responsible for damage to Philips' CPAP machines.

  • October 09, 2024

    EPA Will Clean Up 7 Abandoned Mines On Navajo Land

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it has committed to cleaning up seven abandoned uranium mine sites via projects aimed at addressing more than 1 million cubic yards of contaminated soil and restoring approximately 260 acres of Navajo Nation land.

  • October 09, 2024

    Companies' Kratom Supplements Are Addictive, Class Says

    A proposed class of buyers is suing Thang Botanicals Inc. and FTLS Holdings in California federal court, alleging that they failed to disclose that their kratom-derived 7ΩHMZ products are as addictive as opioids, if not more.

  • October 09, 2024

    DLA Piper Adds Former Faegre Drinker Litigator In Philly

    DLA Piper has expanded its litigation services in the Philadelphia office this week by adding an attorney with more than 30 years of courtroom experience.

  • October 09, 2024

    GSK Settles Nearly All State Zantac Cases For Up To $2.2B

    GSK said Wednesday that it will pay up to $2.2 billion to settle roughly 80,000 state court cases claiming Zantac heartburn medication or the generic ranitidine caused them to develop cancer.

  • October 09, 2024

    47 Members Of Congress Urge EPA To Ban Paraquat

    Democratic Rep. Greg Casar from Texas led a coalition of 46 members of Congress in urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to ban the use of a herbicide known as Paraquat, calling it a toxic substance "linked to life-threatening diseases and grave impacts on the environment."

  • October 08, 2024

    NY Discharge Law Usurps Feds, Nuclear Plant Owner Says

    The owner of the shuttered Indian Point nuclear power plant on Monday urged a federal judge to invalidate a New York state law banning discharges of radioactive material into the Hudson River, saying it's clearly preempted by federal nuclear safety authority and violates the Constitution's supremacy clause.

  • October 08, 2024

    Kimberly-Clark Says Plaintiff Can't Link Tampon To Lead Test

    Kimberly-Clark moved Monday to toss a California woman's proposed class action accusing the personal care goods multinational of concealing unsafe lead levels in a line of its U by Kotex tampons, saying the consumer did not even say she used the tampons.

  • October 08, 2024

    Adobe Slams FTC, DOJ For 'Rewrite' Of Subscription Law

    Adobe Inc. blasted a federal government lawsuit over its annual subscription plan and early termination fees on Monday, saying the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Justice are improperly attempting to "rewrite existing law" with the case.

  • October 08, 2024

    Jackson, Kagan Target Loper Bright In Ghost Gun Case

    U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was uncharacteristically quiet during initial arguments Tuesday over the federal government's authority to regulate ghost guns. While her colleagues debated whether kits of unassembled parts qualify as firearms, she waited patiently to post a different question: Can courts now toss agency interpretations they don't like?

  • October 08, 2024

    Justices Cast Favorable Eye On ATF's Ghost Gun Rule

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday appeared to side with the federal government's position that a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives rule regulating so-called ghost gun kits was wrongly invalidated by a lower appeals court, with several justices responding favorably to the feds' arguments.

  • October 08, 2024

    DOJ Sues LA Fitness Over Nationwide Accessibility Issues

    The U.S. Department of Justice sued gym chain LA Fitness on Tuesday, alleging that it mistreated patrons with disabilities at its nearly 700 locations across the country, including by failing to fix broken pool lift equipment and charging caretakers additional fees.

  • October 08, 2024

    CooperSurgical Fails To Escape Embryo Solution Recall Suits

    A California state judge on Tuesday declined to dismiss four lawsuits filed against CooperSurgical Inc. by individuals or couples who allege the company failed to recall a toxic solution before it destroyed their developing embryos, trimming a few claims but otherwise keeping the suits intact. 

  • October 08, 2024

    J&J Wins OK For $505M Deal With Bankrupt Talc Miners

    A Delaware bankruptcy judge approved a $505 million settlement between a pair of talc producers and Johnson & Johnson after overruling an objection by a group of insurers to the deal, which would resolve several ongoing disputes with J&J over talc injury claims.

  • October 08, 2024

    Marathon Co. Wants 'Both Bites' In Pipeline Row, 8th Circ. Told

    A group of tribal landowners looking to intervene in the federal government's appeal related to a Marathon Petroleum Corp. subsidiary's pipeline that crosses part of reservation lands told the Eighth Circuit that the company can't have "both bites of the apple" in fighting their bid to dismiss the case.

  • October 08, 2024

    Eggland's Best Says Cage-Free Eggs Are Exactly That

    Eggland's Best asked an Illinois federal judge on Monday to toss a suit claiming it misled consumers about the quality of care for its hens and the conditions in which they lived, arguing its cage-free eggs are unquestionably labeled as such and that the plaintiffs "twist themselves into knots" to render the products deceptive.

  • October 08, 2024

    Industry, Utilities Take Aim At EPA's Drinking Water PFAS Rule

    Water utility associations and chemical industry players asked the D.C. Circuit to strike down the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's rule setting the first-ever limits for forever chemicals in the nation's drinking water.

  • October 08, 2024

    3rd Circ. Preview: Constitutional Rights Fears Top October

    Constitutional challenges dominate an October argument lineup that will task the Third Circuit with mulling drug price fights by AstraZeneca and other pharmaceutical powerhouses and a suit by a Pennsylvania man claiming his past convictions don't foreclose his right to own a gun. 

  • October 08, 2024

    AGs Slam TikTok With Youth Addiction, Fraud Claims

    More than a dozen states have sued TikTok, alleging the popular social media platform targets young users and manipulates them into becoming habitual users while downplaying the harmful effects it can have on mental health and development.

  • October 08, 2024

    EPA Sets 10-Year Target For Lead Drinking-Water Pipe Fixes

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday finalized a rule that requires all lead drinking water pipes in the country to be replaced within the next 10 years to protect the public from the "significant and irreversible" health effects tied to exposure to lead in drinking water.

  • October 07, 2024

    Factory Mutual Must Fully Cover Plant Explosions, Suit Says

    Petrochemicals maker Indorama Ventures accused Factory Mutual Insurance Co. in Texas federal court Monday of wrongly refusing to fully cover roughly $100 million in losses stemming from a series of major explosions in 2019 near an Indorama plant in Texas.

  • October 07, 2024

    Boehringer Defends Zantac As Cancer Jury Trial Kicks Off

    Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals defended the company's heartburn medication Zantac during the defense's opening statements in a product liability trial Monday, telling California jurors that trial evidence will show the plaintiff never used Boehringer's over-the-counter Zantac products, and that other risk factors put him at risk of developing bladder cancer.

  • October 07, 2024

    Justices Set To Review Feds' Suit Over 'Ghost Gun' Exception

    The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments Tuesday over whether "ghost gun" assembly kits and their accessories, which are unserialized and untraceable, can be considered firearms and therefore subject to licensing requirements under the Gun Control Act of 1968.

Expert Analysis

  • Calif. Long-Tail Ruling Continues Policyholder-Friendly Trend

    Author Photo

    The California Supreme Court's recent ruling in Truck Insurance Exchange v. Kaiser Cement & Gypsum, rejecting horizontal policy exhaustion, was the latest in a string of its decisions involving insurance coverage for continuous or progressive injury claims that favor policyholders, say Billie Mandelbaum and David Goodwin at Covington.

  • FTC Focus: Competition And The Right To Repair

    Author Photo

    If the Federal Trade Commission includes commercial and industrial products as part of copyright exemptions that allow consumers to modify or repair products, then businesses and affected rights holders will need to consider copyrights' impact on infringement issues, say attorneys at Proskauer.

  • Series

    Skiing And Surfing Make Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    The skills I’ve learned while riding waves in the ocean and slopes in the mountains have translated to my legal career — developing strong mentor relationships, remaining calm in difficult situations, and being prepared and able to move to a backup plan when needed, says Brian Claassen at Knobbe Martens.

  • Unpacking The Circuit Split Over A Federal Atty Fee Rule

    Author Photo

    Federal circuit courts that have addressed Rule 41(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are split as to whether attorney fees are included as part of the costs of a previously dismissed action, so practitioners aiming to recover or avoid fees should tailor arguments to the appropriate court, says Joseph Myles and Lionel Lavenue at Finnegan.

  • 4 Steps To Repair Defense Credibility In Opening Statements

    Author Photo

    Given the continued rise of record-breaking verdicts, defense counsel need to consider fresh approaches to counteract the factors coloring juror attitudes — starting with a formula for rebuilding credibility at the very beginning of opening statements, says Ken Broda-Bahm at Persuasion Strategies.

  • Del. Bankruptcy Ruling Will Give D&O Insureds Nightmares

    Author Photo

    In Henrich v. XL Specialty Insurance, the Delaware Bankruptcy Court recently found that a never-served qui tam claim had been "brought" before a D&O policy's retroactive date, thereby eliminating coverage, and creating a nightmare scenario for directors and officers policyholders facing whistleblower claims, says David Klein at Pillsbury.

  • Prejudicial Evidence Takeaways From Trump Hush Money Trial

    Author Photo

    The Manhattan District Attorney's Office's prosecution and conviction of former President Donald Trump on 34 felony counts provides a lesson on whether evidence may cause substantial unfair prejudice, or if its prejudicial potential is perfectly fair within the bounds of the law, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Opinion

    No Matter The Purdue Ruling, Mass Tort Reform Is Needed

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court will soon issue its opinion in the bankruptcy of Purdue Pharma LP, and regardless of the outcome, it’s clear legal and policy reforms are needed to address the next mass tort, says William Organek at Baruch College.

  • After A Brief Hiccup, The 'Rocket Docket' Soars Back To No. 1

    Author Photo

    The Eastern District of Virginia’s precipitous 2022 fall from its storied rocket docket status appears to have been a temporary aberration, as recent statistics reveal that the court is once again back on top as the fastest federal civil trial court in the nation, says Robert Tata at Hunton.

  • Recruitment Trends In Emerging Law Firm Frontiers

    Author Photo

    BigLaw firms are facing local recruitment challenges as they increasingly establish offices in cities outside of the major legal hubs, requiring them to weigh various strategies for attracting talent that present different risks and benefits, says Tom Hanlon at Buchanan Law.

  • Series

    Glassblowing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    I never expected that glassblowing would strongly influence my work as an attorney, but it has taught me the importance of building a solid foundation for your work, learning from others and committing to a lifetime of practice, says Margaret House at Kalijarvi Chuzi.

  • 3 Surprising Deposition Dangers Attorneys Must Heed

    Author Photo

    Attorneys often do not think of discovery as a particularly risky phase of litigation, but counsel must closely heed some surprisingly strict and frequently overlooked requirements before, during and after depositions that can lead to draconian consequences, says Nate Sabri at Perkins Coie.

  • Best Practices For Chemical Transparency In Supply Chains

    Author Photo

    A flurry of new and forthcoming regulations in different jurisdictions that require disclosure of potentially hazardous substances used in companies' products and processes will require businesses to take proactive steps to build chemical transparency into their supply chains, and engage robustly and systematically with vendors, says Jillian Stacy at Enhesa.

  • How Associates Can Build A Professional Image

    Author Photo

    As hybrid work arrangements become the norm in the legal industry, early-career attorneys must be proactive in building and maintaining a professional presence in both physical and digital settings, ensuring that their image aligns with their long-term career goals, say Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners and Estelle Winsett at Estelle Winsett Professional Image Consulting.

  • Justices' Bump Stock Ruling Skirted Deference, Lenity Issues

    Author Photo

    Despite presenting a seemingly classic case on agency deference, the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling last week in Garland v. Cargill did not mention the Chevron doctrine, and the opinion also overlooked whether agency interpretations of federal gun laws should ever receive deference given that they carry criminal penalties, say Tess Saperstein and John Elwood at Arnold & Porter.

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.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!