Products Liability
Many products liability lawyers limit their careers to the defense of a single product. At NZA, we take pride in the fact that we have defended many different products in litigation and at trial. Most of these products are alleged to have caused serious or catastrophic personal injury, millions of dollars in property damage, toxic exposures, and business interruption. NZA has acted as national coordinating counsel, regional counsel, and local trial counsel. It is NZA’s experience as trial counsel that distinguishes it most.
Our products liability partners have more than 200 trials combined. Their trial experience is impressive in breadth, volume, and success. Clients seek us out to handle or take over products liability lawsuits throughout the country and, sometimes, abroad. NZA has an impressive network of local counsel throughout the United States. Our clients are manufacturers, distributors, sellers, and insurers from the United States and Canada, Asia, and Europe. NZA has litigated cases involving the following types of products or materials, which reflect much, but not all, of our experience:
- Construction equipment and materials
- Cranes and hoisting equipment
- Pharmaceuticals
- Medical devices and equipment
- Athletic equipment
- Toys
- Children’s furniture
- Auto/truck parts
- Tires (automobile and bicycle)
- Bicycles and motorcycles
- Food
- Consumer electronics
- Household appliances
- Electrical and gas appliances
- Railroad parts
- Steel products
- Electrical equipment (switches, buss bars, etc.)
- Electrical contracting equipment
- Aviation equipment
- Chemicals
- Asbestos and other fibers
- Fire prevention/carbon monoxide detection equipment
- Technology
- Farming products
NZA has defended cases regardless of the type of damage. We have litigated catastrophic personal injuries, damage due to contamination of products or property (e.g., mold, asbestos, chemical exposures, and microbes), and property damage (e.g., fire loss, explosions, water damage, and business interruption).
The Products Liability Defense Group has successfully handled cases involving recalls, including:
- defending claims for recalls and related damages
- prosecuting actions against upstream manufacturers for recall costs and damages
- interpreting CGL, products and completed operations coverage, and recall coverage in the context of recalls and third-party damage
- advising clients on handling and interacting with agencies regarding recalls
NZA makes use of the best scientific experts in these fields. Moreover, we pride ourselves on providing stiff challenges to our opponents based upon Daubert, Frye, and their progeny, in order to eliminate unqualified experts, unreliable opinions, and junk science from the courtroom.
NZA’s success, however, is due to its reputation as a litigation firm of trial lawyers, with experience in large exposure or otherwise significant cases. Because of this, we are asked to become involved in cases throughout the country, where local attorneys may not have similar experience or the desire or resources to take on significant litigation–or, ultimately, to try the case.
A description of some of our representative cases can be found here.