Recently, the Food and Drug Administration has regulated electronic cigarettes, making it illegal to sell e-cigarettes to anyone under 18. Similarly, California recently enacted legislation requiring a minimum purchase age of 21 for e-cigarettes. Tobacco critic Stanton Glantz argued in favor of the minimum purchase age, stating that “There’s no question that e-cigarettes aren’t as… Continue Reading
Dustin Beckley
Does Increased Regulation of E-Cigarettes Threaten to Make the Vaping Industry Go Up in Smoke?
Posted in California Courts, Complex Torts, Litigation Trends, Products LiabilityWill “Unprecedented” Garlock Asbestos Bankruptcy Deal Be a Game Changer?
Posted in All Practice Areas, Asbestos Litigation, Products LiabilityThe Garlock asbestos bankruptcy has generated significant interest from attorneys representing plaintiffs and defendants as well as from companies and insurers involved in asbestos litigation. Although the impact on litigation throughout the country has been uneven, courts seem to be more willing to take a proactive role in ensuring that transparency is provided in disclosing… Continue Reading
Latest Fallout in Garlock Highlights Importance of Thorough Discovery of Bankruptcy Claims
Posted in Asbestos Litigation, Litigation Trends, Toxic TortNote: For more MG&M analysis on Garlock, please see previous post by William Larson and Brian Gross. The ramifications of the Garlock asbestos bankruptcy are just beginning to be felt across the country. As new developments continue to play out, it is important to note that in each of the 15 cases in which… Continue Reading
Maryland Court Continues Trend, Holding There Is No Duty To Warn For Household Exposure
Posted in Asbestos Litigation, Litigation Trends, Maryland Courts, Toxic TortThe Maryland Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that Georgia-Pacific Corp. was not liable for illness involving a woman who was exposed to asbestos while doing her father’s laundry in the 1960s. The Insurance Journal reported on the recent decision: The Court of Appeals ruled that Georgia-Pacific Corp. was not obligated to warn relatives of the… Continue Reading
Congresswoman’s Asbestos Lawsuit Emblematic of an Increasing Trend of Allegedly Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer Cases
Posted in Asbestos Litigation, Delaware Courts, Litigation TrendsCompanies and insurers continue to experience an increase in the number of lawsuits they face, which involve Plaintiffs who allege that their lung cancer was caused by asbestos exposure, despite the fact that many of these Plaintiffs were longtime smokers. The trend, which has emerged over several years, has gained nationwide prominence as highlighted by… Continue Reading
Asbestos Cases and Every Exposure Causation: Proper Expert Witness Preparation Is Essential In Any Jurisdiction
Posted in Asbestos Litigation, Litigation TrendsCompanies around the country grapple with different standards of causation in different jurisdictions. If recent trends continue, some jurisdictions may take a harder look at the “every exposure” theory of causation advanced by plaintiffs’ attorneys in asbestos litigation. Pennsylvania has recently reaffirmed the “well established” concepts involving the requirements for substantial factor causation: The each… Continue Reading