Product Liability

Ruden McClosky has extensive experience in handling all phases of product liability and tort cases in Florida and throughout the United States. The members of this practice group represent a broad spectrum of domestic and international manufacturers ranging from Fortune 100 companies to family-owned businesses.

Over the last 35 years our attorneys have represented numerous motor vehicle and truck manufacturers, as well as other product manufacturers, in product liability lawsuits in all state and federal courts. In addition, we counsel clients worldwide in these product types: motor vehicles (including passenger cars, SUV's and trucks), pharmaceuticals; medical devices; ladders; machines; conveyer belts; power tools; hoist equipment; generators; amusement rides; consumer and household products; airplanes, forklifts; LP gas; construction equipment and food products.

Our attorneys counsel and defend clients on a wide range of tort and product liability matters law including:

Motor vehicle crashworthiness
Catastrophic injuries
Asbestos
Automobile negligence
Consumer fraud
Dealership Issues
General negligence
Intentional conduct
Premises liability
Toxic torts
Machine guarding

The Firm also offers particular experience in complex cases involving issues such as biomechanics of impact trauma, accident construction, human factors, occupant kinematics and restraint systems, and warnings.

Specifically we are experienced in the following areas:

Product design and manufacturing
Product testing
Safety related recalls
Manufacturing defects
Accident reconstruction
Seat belt defense
Crashworthiness of vehicles
Economics and accounting
Forensic pathology
All aspects of medicine
Neuropsychological Testing
Fires
Metallurgy
Mechanical engineering
Toxicology
Warnings

Product liability and tort cases present unique legal issues. Our attorneys are skilled in several of these issues and procedures including, but not limited to:

Federal preemption
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
ANSI and other industry and Government standards
Electronic discovery
Service and discovery under The Hague Convention
Punitive damages
Federal Rule 26 on discovery
Protective orders
Depositions of CEOs
Joint and several liability
Admissibility of test and experiments
Frye and Daubert hearings

The handling of complex product liability and tort matters requires a sensitivity to legal expense and experience in all types of litigation and dispute resolution. Our attorneys are committed to balancing effective representation and reasonable fees. As warranted, we offer alternative fee arrangements and recommend litigation alternatives such as ADR, mediation, arbitration and summary jury trials.

Attorneys in this practice area are active in organizations directly related to product liability issues. Among them are the Product Liability Advisory Council; the Defense Research Institute; the Society of Automotive Engineers; the Association for Advancement of Automotive Medicine; the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, and the Florida Defense Lawyers Association.