Products Liability Trending Topics

Consider writing about:

A recent Georgia jury verdict in favor of Teva Pharmaceuticals in the first U.S. jury trial over the company’s Paragard IUD; product defect allegations at issue in this case; the verdict’s potential implications for other IUD-related lawsuits against Teva; trends involving the manufacturing of IUDs, their history, and product liability claims against medical device makers over IUDs’ performance or alleged health risks.

Related information:

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/teva-prevails-first-us-jury-trial-over-paragard-iud-injury-claims-2026-02-04

Consider writing about:

A lawsuit filed by Texas’ attorney general against fast-fashion company Shein; basis for AG Ken Paxton’s allegations that the retailer’s clothes contain toxic materials; whether other states’ attorneys general are making similar accusations against Shein or other fast-fashion companies or clothing companies with ties to China; how seriously to take the Texas lawsuit (do Paxton’s claims hold water, or is his lawsuit more about political messaging and/or anti-China sentiment?); whether other companies should be taking a hard look at their supply chains in the wake of the Texas lawsuit.

Related information:

https://www.kxxv.com/news/texas-news/texas-attorney-general-launches-investigation-into-shein-over-labor-practices-product-safety

Consider writing about:

How Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” campaign is causing ripples on the state level for the food and beverage industry; new state laws or proposals that take aim at food dyes or other ingredients; legal challenges filed by food and beverage manufacturers against the state measures; other actions that industry has taken in response to the state laws, or may want to consider.

Related information:

https://www.statesman.com/news/politics/state/article/texas-food-labeling-lawsuit-maha-21225556.php

Consider writing about:

Your choice of recent or otherwise noteworthy developments involving PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), whether involving lawsuits against consumer product manufacturers; liability shields; new or proposed laws potentially affecting the use of PFAS; or other issues of note. Also consider offering practical guidance on labeling and other disclosure practices, risk management, and related defense strategies.

Related information:

https://www.ajc.com/news/2026/02/bill-to-shield-georgia-carpet-companies-from-pfas-lawsuits-advances

https://www.petfoodindustry.com/pet-food-lawsuits-litigation/news/15775082/smucker-pet-food-pfas-lawsuit-nears-certification

https://environment.ec.europa.eu/news/new-study-confirms-huge-and-growing-costs-pfas-pollution-2026-01-29_en

Consider writing about:

Lawsuits against major social media companies over the harm they allegedly cause to younger users; recent or otherwise noteworthy developments in litigation by individuals, school districts, or others; what to watch for as cases on this front head to trial; what other tech companies may want to consider regarding their own practices and guardrails, especially as they relate to young consumers.

Related information:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/meta-tiktok-youtube-trial-social-media-addiction-mental-health

Consider writing about:

Legal or regulatory woes that may be ahead, or already surfacing, for Elon Musk over sexualized deepfake images created by Grok, the chatbot crated by Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI; issues that the images are raising, in the United States, the European Union, and potentially other jurisdictions; what to know about any applicable data services regulations, data privacy laws, online protections for minors, or other existing measures that may play a role in the pursuit of claims (whether by individuals, state attorneys general, or regional regulators); whether prior legal battles over individuals’ dissemination of non-consensual intimate images (sometimes known by the misleading term of revenge porn) or deepfake images could shed light on how legal battles over Grok’s creations may play out.

Related information:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/x-grok-ai-imagery-elon-musk-eu-uk-us-regulation

https://www.theverge.com/news/868239/x-grok-sexualized-deepfakes-eu-investigation

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/x-paywall-ai-image-grok-app-bikini-allows-sexual-deepfakes-rcna252647

https://www.theverge.com/policy/857924/x-grok-ai-chatbot-bikini-images-regulators-congress

Consider writing about:

Recent jury verdicts against Johnson & Johnson over alleged health impacts to consumers resulting from their use of the company’s personal care products containing talc; factors that may have contributed to the dollar size of the verdicts; how trials over these products are trending; new developments involving expert testimony and what they could mean for the outcome of still unresolved claims regarding talc-based products’ health impacts.

Related information:

https://thedailyrecord.com/2025/12/23/baltimore-jury-johnson-johnson-talc-mesothelioma-verdict

https://www.globalcosmeticsnews.com/minnesota-jury-awards-us65-5-million-verdict-against-johnson-johnson-in-talc-asbestos-case

Consider writing about:

Your choice of three or more noteworthy product liability developments or trends from 2025, whether involving verdicts, settlements, regulatory actions, emerging technologies, or other evolving risk areas. What stood out to you, and why? Decide whether to focus on a particular industry, region, or product type, or whether to be more expansive in your approach – and consider including implications for the year ahead or action-oriented takeaways.

Consider writing about:

A Dec. 22 civil enforcement action filed by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Consumer Product Safety Commission over alleged violations of the Consumer Product Safety Act; significance of this action; practical takeaways regarding handling of external reports of product defects, failure to adequately respond to, or report, suspected product problems, and associated liability risks.

Related information:

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-states-files-complaint-against-stanley-black-decker-inc-alleging-delay-reporting

Consider writing about:

A $40 million verdict reached by a Los Angeles jury in a trial over two women’s ovarian cancer, which they allege was linked to their long-time use of Johnson & Johnson products; what to know about bellwether trials; how the outcome of the Los Angeles trial compares to the results of other litigation against J&J over personal care products containing talc; where industry’s use of talc in personal care products stands currently.

Related information:

https://apnews.com/article/johnson-johnson-baby-powder-ovarian-cancer-3530102b312df155aa427e87770c952b

Consider writing about:

A lawsuit filed by the city of San Francisco against top food manufacturers, whom the city alleges “engineered a public health crisis;” key claims and remedies sought in the lawsuit; what constitutes a public health matter; what is meant by “ultraprocessed” foods (whether there is one commonly agreed upon definition or standard); how the legal or regulatory landscape regarding these food products may be shifting; what to make of the strategy of using a public nuisance statute to sue food companies (and how this compares to other uses of public nuisance statutes to pursue makers of allegedly harmful products).

Related information:

https://www.npr.org/2025/12/03/g-s1-100212/san-francisco-sues-manufacturers-ultraprocessed-foods

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Food/san-francisco-files-landmark-lawsuit-comparing-ultra-processed/story?id=128046148

Consider writing about:

Concerns that dozens of state attorneys general raised in a recent letter to major tech companies over AI bots’ interactions with minors; potential remedies sought by the state AGs; potential significance or practical impact of the AGs’ joint letter; most likely areas of liability for tech companies as regards their actions’ alleged impacts on minors; what AI companies should consider doing in view of the state AGs’ letter (whether a given company was named in the letter or not).

Related information:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/state-attorneys-general-warn-microsoft-001343670.html

https://gizmodo.com/openai-anthropic-others-receive-warning-letter-from-dozens-of-state-attorneys-general-2000698248

Consider writing about:

Recent developments involving litigation against social media companies over their platforms’ alleged negative effects on younger users’ mental well-being. What are some of the noteworthy claims being pursued against these companies? What is the status of these claims, and what should interested parties be watching for as the cases go to trial? Are claims against these companies barred, or limited, under the Communications Decency Act. Why or why not?

Related information:

https://deadline.com/2025/11/social-media-lawsuit-zuckerberg-testify-1236609558

Consider writing about:

At least two recent cases involving San Francisco traffic mishaps in which pets were struck (and in one case, killed) by Waymo robo-taxis. As robo-taxi services expand their operations into multiple cities or states, we may see more of these types of incidents, whether involving Waymo itself or other companies. What laws apply in these instances? Where might liability lie, vis a vis the autonomous vehicle companies or pet caretakers? More generally speaking, how is injury to, or loss of, a pet treated under the law, and how might it differ among jurisdictions? Under the law, how does the loss of a pet compare to the loss of an animal used in a business (whether an agricultural operation or otherwise)? And are regulators eyeing tighter rules for autonomous vehicles in the wake of the San Francisco accidents (or similar incidents elsewhere, if any)?

Related information:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/waymo-robotaxi-hits-dog-san-033406617.html

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/waymo-killed-cat-21138679.php

Consider writing about:

The Washington Supreme Court’s reinstatement of a $185 million jury award in a lawsuit against Monsanto over alleged health impacts from PCB exposure; what to know about the state’s Product Liability Act; additional takeaways from this PCB case; any related legal trends of note involving occupational exposure to potentially hazardous chemicals (and potential safety obligations on the part of employers) or regarding jurisdiction’s impact on liability risks.

Related information:

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/times-watchdog/185m-verdict-for-toxic-lights-in-wa-school-upheld-by-states-high-court

Consider writing about:

Lawsuits against pharmaceutical company Pfizer over the company’s injectable contraceptive Depo-Provera and its alleged link to brain tumors; specifics of consumer allegations being brought against the drug company in this regard; how a pre-emption defense factors into this litigation; what else to know about Depo-Provera’s history, popularity, consumer use, and related regulatory actions; any additional takeaways from this case that could pertain to other drug companies (and to contraceptive makers in particular).

Related information:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/sep/28/pfizer-sued-in-us-over-contraceptive-that-women-say-caused-brain-tumours

Consider writing about:

Lawsuits over dangers that the gaming-related Roblox and Discord platforms allegedly pose to young users; types of mental or physical harms that have allegedly arisen as a result of young people’s use of these platforms; alleged deficiencies on the part of the platforms; potential liability on the part of platform developers and others; parental responsibility in these sorts of situations; laws that apply to the protection of minors in particular; related trends involving lawsuits against social media companies or other online platforms over alleged dangers to young users, and how litigation on this front is evolving; and perhaps some guidance for parents or other caretakers on what to watch out for and how they themselves can limit online platforms’ unwanted effects on young users.

Related information:

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2025/10/08/wisconsin-5-year-old-girl-sexually-exploited-on-roblox-lawsuit-says/86585932007

https://www.kron4.com/news/technology-ai/roblox-and-discord-hit-with-another-lawsuit-after-girl-13-dies

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kentucky-attorney-general-russell-coleman-sues-roblox

Consider writing about:

A $966 million jury verdict levied by a California jury this month against Johnson & Johnson; factors that may have contributed to the dollar size of the jury verdict in this mesothelioma case; how litigation over alleged health impacts from Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based consumer products is trending; how this California case, and its verdict, compare to the details in other cases brought against J&J.

Related information:

https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/breaking-news/selfinsured-johnson-and-johnson-hit-with-966-million–verdict-552235.aspx

Consider writing about:

An investigation opened by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into almost 3 million Tesla vehicles in the wake of reported safety violations linked to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system; what other actions the NHTSA has taken – or is in the middle of pursuing – against Tesla; how the new NHTSA investigation might compare to previous regulatory or legislative scrutiny of the vehicles’ self-driving systems and the potential for traffic accidents; what the automotive industry should know about NHTSA investigations, how they are typically conducted (or whether they may be changing under the second Trump administration), how to interact with government investigators, and how to possibly mitigate fallout from an NHTSA investigation. Also consider whether to include a wider-angle look at regulatory trends involving autonomous vehicles or other emerging automotive technologies that have raised concern among state or federal regulators.

Related information:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tesla-fsd-nhtsa-investigation-traffic-violations

Consider writing about:

Recurring cases of the food industry being sued over burns allegedly caused by spilled hot beverages; how lawsuits over these injuries have performed; any recurring patterns or connecting threads across these lawsuits; how responsibility or negligence is assigned in these cases (as regarding food distributors, package designers, employees, or customers themselves); how food industry businesses or their affiliates can reduce potential liability risks involving hot drinks and customer injuries.

Consider writing about:

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s veto of a bill that would have banned the use of “forever chemicals” in cookware and other products in that state; reason for the governor’s veto; whether legislation to ban or phase out the presence of PFAS in consumer products is gaining steam in other parts of the United States; how common PFAS usage is in the making of common consumer products; whether manufacturers are exploring alternatives to PFAS as a potential component for their consumer products; any related trends involving consumer lawsuits over exposure to PFAS and alleged health impacts from that exposure.

Related information:

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5554993-newsom-rejects-cookware-pfas-ban

Consider writing about:

The potential for strengthened, revived, or brand-new lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers, as well as Tylenol’s manufacturer or other makers of painkillers containing acetaminophen, as a result of remarks made this week by President Trump and Health Department Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; what to know about previously resolved or ongoing litigation over any of these products, and how those lawsuits have fared; how drug manufacturers can best anticipate and navigate the likelihood of intensified scrutiny and concerns among regulators and consumers in the wake of Trump administration actions.

Related information:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/09/22/autism-tylenol-takeaways-trump-rfk-jr/86293921007

Consider writing about:

A Sept. 9 ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a challenge to California’s Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act; how the state law is intended to work; basis for a tech industry trade group’s lawsuit in response to the measure; what the 9th Circuit’s ruling means for the law’s status and future; what else operators of social media platforms should know about the state law and the federal appeals court ruling; how the California law compares to actions that other states are taking regarding minors’ use of social media and alleged harms resulting from that exposure.

Related information:

https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2025/09/09/25-146.pdf

Consider writing about:

An apparent increased emphasis by manufacturers on food and drink products’ protein content; influences that may be driving this possible trend; risk of manufacturers making exaggerated or otherwise misleading claims about the amount of protein in their products; any interesting lawsuits regarding this issue; how manufacturers in the food and beverage industry can avoid liability risks over their advertising, marketing, and labeling practices.