Practice Areas
Products Liability Defense
Powell Trachtman is regularly retained by product manufacturers, designers, distributors, and their insurance carriers to defend against a wide range of product liability claims in various jurisdictions throughout the country.
By way of example, we have defended claims involving such products as aerial lifts; rough terrain forklift trucks; material handlers; scissor, boom-supported, and vertical mast lifts and their components; refinery equipment and instrumentation; cranes; heavy construction equipment; utility trucks; all terrain vehicles; scrap iron furnaces; tractor trailers; presses; scaffolding equipment … and many others. Many of these cases involve death and serious injury claims involving brain damage, crushing injuries, electrocution, amputation, and crippling burns.
In all of these cases, our work begins with a thorough understanding of who our clients are and what they do. We know that a successful products liability defense begins and ends with a superior grasp of how a product was engineered, the standards that dictated its design, its assembly and manufacturing sequence, the manner in which it is to be properly used, and the practical utility that the product provides. Often, our attorneys coordinate the work of other attorneys throughout the United States, and in the process we acquire a national perspective and information storehouse that is invaluable to our clients, particularly those required to litigate against coordinated networks of plaintiffs’ counsel.
The end result is this: in products liability matters, we can bring to bear an exceptionally valuable knowledge and experience base that reduces costs and produces results for the benefit of the clients which trust us to defend the integrity of their product lines.
For some specific examples, see the Problems Prevented and Solved section of the website.
We also understand the business side of what manufacturers, designers, distributors, and their carriers need from counsel. Upon receipt, every case is initially reviewed by a senior attorney who enlists that assistance of others in the firm whose skills and experience correspond with the needs of the case. Thereafter, each case is promptly reviewed for settlement potential, suitability for alternative dispute resolution, or the necessity for full development and trial. In appropriate cases, a litigation plan and budget is prepared and submitted to the client for review and approval. During the pendency of the case, we periodically review the litigation plan with the client, and we monitor compliance with the budget.
