Manufacturing Your Own Products

Where will 3-D printing take us? New technology doesn’t even have a chance to get old before the next best thing is upon us. I wrote about this dizzying concept in a previous article. 3-D printing is a technology most…

Kratom Brew: Soothing or Addictive?

Addicts claim ingredient sabotages recovery efforts There’s a nonalcoholic beverage being served in bars around the country that former drug addicts like because it soothes their withdrawal cravings. Well, no wonder. Apparently, an ingredient in the beverage, kratom, is just…

Undisclosed E-cig Toxins and “Popcorn Lung”

Class-action suit filed in California Electronic cigarettes are supposed to be a safe smoking product and many applaud their use for those who want to quit smoking tobacco. But not everyone is a fan of the e-cig. Plenty of people…

Retailers and Airlines Ban Hoverboards

Lithium batteries pose fire hazard Hoverboards are one of the 2015 holiday season’s most sought after gifts. And Amazon, one of the world’s largest retailers, is playing the part of the Grinch. Amazon is pulling many models from its U.S….

Bankruptcy Judge Rules on GM Ignition Recall

Punitive damages can be awarded in some cases A while back we posted on the 2014 recall of 2.7 million cars. This recall resulted from 42 deaths, 58 injuries, 13 years of errors and a cover-up by General Motors. GM…

State-to-State Variability of Product Liability Laws

When a retailer can be sued as a manufacturer I often hear different business tell me of their belief that, as a product distributor, they have less liability than the manufacturer.  The truth is that this is correct in most…

5 Risk Management Steps to Prevent Product Liability Claims

Being proactive lowers the risk of costly claims Step #1:  Design with safety in mind The first and most important step for risk management is during the product design phase.  During this phase you should take into account how your product…

How Negligent Was GM on Ignition Problems?

Negligence in terms of product liability It took 42 deaths, 58 injuries, 2.7 million cars recalled and 13 years of errors and a cover-up before  any definitive action, a product recall, was taken to prevent GM’s vehicles from killing more…

Nanotechnology Speeds Up Product Development and Growth

A look into the not-too-distant future It’s no wonder Product Liability underwriters struggle with nanotechnology products and risks. Typically, product changes are relatively minor. However, when it comes to nanotechnology, changes can have life-altering impacts on the environment and the…

Driverless Vehicles

The good, the bad and the interesting I just read that in January 2015 the United Kingdom will allow driverless cars on public roads.  Can this be true? And if so, what does it mean for the citizens of the…