| July 14, 2017 |
| New Developments |
| Rats! Eco-Friendly Soy-Based Insulation Could Spell Trouble Down the Road By Sarah Rashid A new “eco-friendly” biodegradable material used to insulate wiring in newer cars could make for trouble — and lawsuits — down the road for car manufacturers. This insulation is made from soybeans, making it more environmentally friendly |
| June 9, 2017 |
| New Developments |
| Lung Cancer Without Asbestosis? The Effects of Smoking By Mark Zellmer In the medical and scientific literature, a finding of asbestosis is clear evidence that asbestos at least contributed to cause a person’s lung cancer. Many medical experts regard a finding of asbestosis as essential to any finding that asbestos |
| May 10, 2017 |
| New Developments |
| Discovery Sanctions Sanctioned By Alan Hoffman On April 18, 2017 the United States Supreme Court did something unusual: it decided a discovery issue. In Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. v. Haeger (2017), it reversed a $2.7 million sanctions order for bad faith discovery misconduct. And in Sec. Nat’l Bank |
| April 10, 2017 |
| New Developments |
| I Like It, But Do I Trust It? Drivers Weigh In on Autonomous Vehicle Technology By Shannon Peters The American Automobile Association (AAA) recently released the results of a survey of American drivers which yielded an interesting conclusion: Americans want autonomous vehicle (AV) technologies in their next vehicle, but they |
| March 9, 2017 |
| New Developments |
| Missouri Products Law: Are The Times A-Changin’? By Joe Guffey Missouri, the home of Mark Twain and Harry S Truman, has in recent years become one of the most deeply red states politically. Yet it has also acquired a reputation as of one of the most plaintiff friendly forums |
| February 8, 2017 |
| New Developments |
| Autonomous Vehicle Technology Regulation In the Trump Administration By Eric B. Krauss Last autumn President Obama revealed his administration’s plan for autonomous driving technology. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) published fifteen guidelines in September, 2016, that were almost widely lauded as striking the right balance between safety and |
| December 13, 2016 |
| New Developments |
| Auto Manufacturers Partner with Nauto to Improve Driverless Car Technology By Shannon Peters One of the main obstacles to the autonomous vehicle industry is “infrastructure,” but not in the sense typically associated with the term. Since autonomous vehicles come in all shapes, sizes, and powertrain types (gasoline, electric, and hybrid), |
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) continues to seek significant civil penalties from companies that fail to “immediately” report potential product safety problems in 
a timely fashion. The newest installment in this trend occurred when CPSC announced a $4.5 million civil penalty against PetSmart. CPSC stated that, between 2011 and 2014, “PetSmart received at least 19 reports of fish bowls cracking, breaking, or shattering during normal use, resulting in serious injuries to consumers in at least 12 cases.” However, CPSC went on to say that the company failed to “immediately notify CPSC of the defect or risk posed by the fish bowls.” Moreover, CPSC claims that the company “failed to identify the correct amount and distribution dates of the fish bowls” during the initial recall of the product.
Under Federal law, once a reporting requirement arises under the Consumer Product Safety Act, it must be reported to CPSC “immediately” or within 24 hours of discovery.
The product originally sold in stores for approximately $20.
Continue Reading $20 Fishbowl = $4.5M Penalty: CPSC Civil Penalties Continue
| November 8, 2016 |
| New Developments |
| Does Talc Cause Cancer? Scientific Evidence in the Courtroom By Alan Hoffman This year juries returned verdicts totaling nearly $200 million in three Missouri cases claiming that ovarian cancers is caused by using talcum powder products. By contrast, in September a New Jersey Superior Court excluded expert opinions offered to |
| October 7, 2016 |
| New Developments |
| The Duty to Warn in New York By Dan Jaffe New York’s highest court recently held in two asbestos cases (Dummit v. A. W. Chesterton and Suttner v. A. W. Chesterton) that a manufacturer of valves had a duty to warn of the hazards arising from the use of its |