To help with your writing efforts, here’s what people are looking for in Products Liability online. Trending topics culled from JD Supra, search analytics, social media conversations, and other sources:
Consider writing about:
The European Product Act; the measure’s current status, its origins, and its main areas of focus; who stands to be most affected by this Act, and how; implementation process, enforcement mechanisms, key compliance deadlines, and potential penalties for not meeting those.
Related information:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2026/789349/EPRS_BRI(2026)789349_EN.pdf
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Litigation over food products that are marketed as lacking “added sugar” or as being sugar-free (or using similar verbiage regarding a purported absence of sugar as an ingredient); grounds for these lawsuits; common allegations or strategies across the lawsuits; noteworthy brands or retailers being sued over sugar content, and over the ingredient allulose in particular; any significant rulings in these cases; how the Food and Drug Administration defines sugars; best practices for food companies or retailers in light of increasing litigation over sugar content.
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The European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation; when it went into effect; types of packaging or industries most affected; how the regulation is being phased in; key timelines, compliance obligations, and potential penalties to be aware of.
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AI safeguards signed into law by California’s governor on Sept. 9; how these measures address public and corporate concerns regarding AI systems and models; what these actions mean for the tech industry; where these measures may fall short; whether they shift potential liability risks from AI developers and users to third parties; how the California legislation compares to the approach taken so far by other states in confronting issues involving AI’s safety and reliability.
Related information:
https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/california-new-ai-laws-independent-audits
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Data privacy lawsuits filed against Meta over the company’s “smart” glasses; relevant allegations involving the recording and handling of intimate imagery or other material; what these lawsuits illustrate regarding the evolving privacy landscape, the rollout of wearable technology, personal risks (for tech buyers or others), and potential liability issues for manufacturers and distributors. How is Meta responding to these lawsuits? What state or federal consumer protections may apply in these cases? What are best practices for companies who are currently involved in, or interested in, the wearable tech space?
Related information:
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A $455 million PFAS-related settlement reached this month between Chemours, Corteva, and DuPont and the state of North Carolina and 11 local entities; alleged contamination incidents leading to the settlement; terms of the settlement; what to know about Cotreva’s planned corporate split, and whether it could impact Corteva’s potential liability over PFAS-related contamination; whether other companies have used similar corporate splits to minimize PFAS-related liability – and, if so, how that strategy has fared.
Related information:
https://finance.yahoo.com/healthcare/articles/states-sue-block-cortevas-split-103037663.html
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A federal judge’s Aug. 27 ruling upholding Oregon’s extended producer responsibility program; key points in the judge’s decision; what this decision means for Oregon companies’ environmental obligations; potential significance of this ruling for EPR programs nationally; how EPR programs are trending nationally, in terms of implemented legislation, rollout of related obligations, compliance performance, enforcement actions, and/or legal challenges.
Related information:
https://www.eenews.net/articles/federal-judge-upholds-first-state-polluter-pays-recycling-law
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The European Union’s Cyber Resilience Act; focus of the Act; to whom it applies; processes or entities that stand to be most impacted; the Act’s phase-in timelines; key compliance obligations and related deadlines to know about; potential penalties for non-compliance.
Related information:
https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/cyber-resilience-act
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A growing backlash in some communities against e-bikes and related, or perceived, safety hazards, whether for riders, pedestrians, or drivers; how e-bikes are regulated in the United States; whether rules on users’ ages, license status, and vehicle speed limits vary widely from one jurisdiction to the next; recent or proposed legislation targeting the e-bike industry; prosecutions of parents whose children have been involved in serious or fatal accidents involving others; potential liability on the part of manufacturers or retailers.
Related information:
https://www.sfgate.com/california/article/oc-e-bike-war-22378782.php
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Reports that American Airlines’ AI tool bumped passengers off their connecting flights without notifying them in advance. What are passenger rights and airline obligations in such a case? More broadly speaking, from a perspective that could encompass assorted industries, what does this type of incident illustrate regarding the potential perils of using artificial intelligence for crucial, customer-facing processes, and how liability would be determined in a case like this (vis a vis actions on the part of the AI tool, the company using it, or the AI developer)? How can companies minimize risk when deploying AI tools?
Related information:
https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/united-nonstop-sfo-trump-international-22385283.php
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Vehicle recalls that are being implemented amid reports of certain plug-in hybrids catching fire, even when the vehicles are parked and turned off; manufacturers and vehicle models at issue; suspected causes of the fires; how widespread these problems are thought to be; safety guidance for vehicle owners; current or potential consumer lawsuits or regulatory actions over fire damage to vehicles or nearby property; guidance on complying with mandatory recalls or on implementing voluntary recalls.
Related information:
https://www.autoweek.com/news/a71537682/stellantis-recalls-plug-in-hybrid-chrysler-and-jeep
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Proposed amendments to California’s Proposition 65; key areas of emphasis in the recently released information from the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment; concerns the changes are intended to address; whom the potential changes would be most likely to affect; timeline for possible implementation of the proposed amendments; what to know about Proposition 65’s history and evolution, as well as related compliance obligations and liability risks for the business community.
Related information:
https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/crnr/proposition-65-omnibus-2026-pre-rulemaking
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Lawsuits filed againt Apple Inc. by individuals who say the company’s AirTags enabled people to track and threaten them; status of these lawsuits; noteworthy developments regarding specific claims or types of claims against Apple over the AirTags; how Apple has responded to the lawsuits, whether in terms of product modifications or otherwise; practical issues that these cases may highlight regarding adequacy of safety guardrails, whether in consumer products generally or in data-centric tech tools in particular.
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An $88 million jury verdict in the first of thousands of cases to go to trial over injuries allegedly caused by hernia-repair mesh implants made by Medtronic’s Covidien unit; factors likely contributing to the large dollar size of the verdict; what this verdict could portend for other lawsuits over mesh implants; what this case may illustrate regarding liability risks, litigation trends, or litigation over a company’s alleged failure to warn.
Related information:
Consider writing about:
California’s Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act (SB 54); where this measure stands now; what it aims to accomplish; nature of opposing legal challenges to SB 54; how those challenges are progressing; why this California law seems to have become such a lightning rod for opposition; how other states’ extended producer responsibility (EPR) measures are faring, and how they compare to each other; whether EPR measures are multiplying; key compliance challenges, liability risks, or best practices for companies impacted by EPR measures.
Consider writing about:
The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Monsanto Co. v. Durnell; what the ruling means for Monsanto’s labeling requirements, the company’s duty to warn, and its potential liability over the Roundup weedkiller; what the high court’s decision illustrates regarding the reach of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act; the ruling’s additional implications for other manufacturers, for states’ authority and powers, and for consumer protections; best practices for companies facing failure-to-warn allegations.
Related information:
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-1068_n7ip.pdf
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Lawsuits related to the cyclosporiasis outbreak in the United States; which companies have been hit with lawsuits so far; basis for consumer claims; challenges for either side in a case like this; what this case may illustrate regarding vendor relationships, supply chains, and quality control; how companies that find themselves in the midst of a public health scare can best respond and contain fallout; what regulators’ role is in such a case; additional guidance on interacting with regulators and on implementing a mandatory or voluntary product recall.
Related information:
https://apnews.com/article/cyclospora-lettuce-taco-bell-cdc-fda-77f2b6db56fbeddcae045a03ccf122c4
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New York legislation known as the Beauty Justice Act; the legislation’s main areas of focus; the measure’s current status, prospects for passage, and potential timeline for implementation; potential penalties for non-compliance; how the standards or requirements contained in the Beauty Justice Act compare to other obligations seen on the state, federal, or global level; and perhaps a more expansive look at trends involving the manufacture or reformulation of cosmetics and personal care products with an eye toward addressing alleged health or safety impacts.
Related information:
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2057/amendment/A
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A settlement reached between Roku and Florida’s attorney general over the streaming platform company’s handling of children’s data; significance of this settlement; how Roku’s systems or practices are poised to change per the terms of the Florida settlement; how the state-level enforcement landscape is looking this year for companies that handle children’s data; what companies should know about privacy obligations and related legal risks involving children’s data.
Related information:
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A Pennsylvania federal judge’s dismissal of a lawsuit against major food industry companies over ultra-processed products; basis for the court’s dismissal of the suit; how other lawsuits over ultra-processed foods are performing; whether companies are (or should be considering) modifying their products in the face of apparently heightened attention to ultra-processed foods’ possible health impacts.
Related information:
https://www.fooddive.com/news/food-giants-ultraprocessed-lawsuit-dismissed/824472
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A $450 million multistate settlement announced last month involving Chemours facilities that use or produce PFAS (commonly known as “forever chemicals”); how this settlement represents a first; key terms of the consent decree in this case; what this case may indicate regarding the Trump administration’s stance on “forever chemicals;” any other recent federal or state PFAS-related enforcement actions that businesses should know about; where the most significant PFAS-related risks exist these days for businesses.
Related information:
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Product liability concerns for cannabis-related businesses (in the jurisdiction of your choice); business practices or other factors that tend to lead to product liability risks for this industry; how product liability claims against the cannabis industry (either as a whole, or a specific segment of the industry) have performed; what the industry should be doing to protect itself against product liability lawsuits.
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A wrongful-death suit recently filed against Ozempic manufacturer Novo Nordisk; key claims in the lawsuit; what this case may illustrate regarding potential liability risks involving duty to warn; what to know about the status or outcome of other lawsuits over the safety of the latest wave of weight-loss drugs.
Related information:
https://www.newsweek.com/ozempic-lawsuit-death-novo-nordisk-11650099
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“Innocent seller” laws; how they function; how widespread they are, and whether they are becoming more or less common; how they impact businesses and consumers; key protections and limitations under innocent seller laws; examples of product liability disputes where innocent seller laws have been a factor in the outcome.
Consider writing about:
A measure passed by Illinois legislators last month regarding frontier AI models; what to know about this type of AI technology; goals of the Illinois legislation, and what it could mean for AI developers; how Illinois’ Artificial Intelligence Safety Measures Act compares to AI-related measures signed into law in other states.
Related information:
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Litigation filed against Gilead Sciences by users of the biopharmaceutical company’s HIV medicine; what to know about a case recently heard by the California Supreme Court; what the outcome of this csae could mean for the pharmaceutical industry specifically and, more broadly speaking, for manufacturers’ duty of care, other obligations, and liability risks regarding their existing products and their related product development options and actions.
Consider writing about:
A defense verdict in favor of Johnson & Johnson in a bellwether trial regarding allegations that the company’s talc products caused ovarian cancer; key factors that may have contributed to the outcome of the Los Angeles trial; how the issues and outcome in this trial compare to those in other lawsuits against J&J over its personal care products; and perhaps a comparison of talc-related legal developments, and relevant product liability laws, in the United States to those in other countries.
Related information:
https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/healthcare/articles/j-j-beats-lawsuit-alleging-222409519.html
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The latest developments involving social media’s alleged addictive qualities, whether involving minors or adults. How are lawsuits, legislation, or regulatory actions on this front evolving? What significant outcomes or trends are you seeing on this front? Which developments strike you as especially noteworthy? How do addiction claims against social media companies compare to addiction claims in other contexts (whether involving pharmaceutical manufacturers, the tobacco industry, or other industries)?
Related information:
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/12/tiktok-instagram-social-media-addictive-eu-crack-down.html
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Vermont’s groundbreaking ban on the pesticide paraquat; reasons for the state ban; when the ban will be phased in; whom the ban mainly affects; how it will be implemented and enforced; whether other states are considering similar bans or restrictions; and perhaps a look at any noteworthy litigation involving alleged health impacts of exposure to paraquat or similar products.
Related information:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/26/vermont-paraquat-weedkiller-ban
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Consumer lawsuits over products advertised as “natural” or “naturally flavored;” product types that are seeing the most litigation over “natural” marketing claims; any noteworthy patterns or recurring themes among such lawsuits; how courts have regarded these types of consumer complaints; how companies can minimize potential liability stemming from “natural” claims; alternative options for companies that may be tempted to make risky “natural” claims.