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ARTICLE · 28 JANUARY 2014

Products Liability: 2013 Year In Review

Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP
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Massachusetts state and federal courts issued a number of interesting product liability decisions in 2013.

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David Ferrera
David Ferrera
Shagha Tousi
Shagha Tousi
Hilary Blackwood
Hilary Blackwood
Katy Meszaros
Katy Meszaros
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Massachusetts state and federal courts issued a number of interesting product liability decisions in 2013. The Product Liability and Toxic Tort Litigation Group at Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP recently reviewed these cases. Highlighted below are some of the key cases and issues decided over the past year.

  • Aleo v. SLB Toys USA, Inc., 466 Mass. 398 (2013): The Supreme Judicial Court ("SJC") upheld an $18 million punitive damages award in a case where a woman died after sliding head first down an inflatable pool slide imported and sold by Toys "R" Us. The SJC found that the evidence supported a finding of gross negligence, and that the $18 million punitive damages award, which constituted a 7:1 ratio of punitive to compensatory damages, was within the guidelines established by law. (Lenk, J.)

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