Product Liability

Secrest Wardle has been at the forefront of product liability litigation since it became a recognized cause of action in Michigan in the 1960s.  We were among the first attorneys in the United States to argue successfully the “Government Contractor Defense” to defeat product liability claims filed against a major United States product manufacturer.  Crossan v ITT, 693 F Supp 528.  Our Product Liability Practice Group was responsible for establishing the law in Michigan regarding the scope of a manufacturer’s duty in a design defect product liability case.  Fisher v Kawasaki Heavy Industries, 354 F Supp 467.  The Firm was also successful in establishing the criteria used to determine “fraudulent joinder” in defeating diversity jurisdiction in federal court.  Ludwig v Lear Jet, 830 F Supp 995.

As the legal landscape surrounding product liability litigation continues to evolve, our Firm has embraced the changes, and remains at the forefront in this area of the law.  The attorneys in our Product Liability Practice Group stay abreast of new technologies and their effect on litigation, as well as the evolving regulations and industry standards set forth by governmental agencies.

Robotics, wearable devices, artificial intelligence, and many other technologies are now common in many aspects of the workplace, in the manufacturing process, and in products in the marketplace.  Smart devices used in products in the medical, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, automotive, and a variety of other industries all affect the types of product liability claims brought against our clients.  Secrest Wardle attorneys are prepared to expertly defend product liability claims involving catastrophic personal injuries, complex tort actions, as well as class action litigation.

We vigorously defend unwarranted claims by providing our clients with aggressive, cost-effective, and innovative representation.  When the facts dictate, however, we are experienced in alternative dispute resolution, facilitation, mediation and arbitration.  Our attorneys have years of experience managing multi-district and mass tort litigation.  We can adopt our defenses to a single lawsuit or to an entire product line if necessary.  Secrest Wardle attorneys are well-versed in the utilization of state-of-the-art discovery methods and technologies.

Our attorneys have successfully defended claims involving design defects, manufacturing defects, failure to warn, improper warnings and labeling, violation of industry codes and standards, and recalls of products.