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Products Liability

Butler Rubin’s Products Liability team has both the business and litigation abilities and experience to effectively handle any products liability matter from early case assessment through trial to verdict.  For more than 25 years, we have regularly represented clients in products liability cases in jurisdictions across the country.  We’ve worked in a variety of roles, including acting as "National Coordinating Counsel," settlement counsel, and as part of the "front line" trial team.  Attorneys in our group have defended manufacturers and distributors in numerous federal and state courts, and have the skill to handle cases involving catastrophic injuries, mass recalls, and other complex issues.  Of special importance to many of our clients is our role in advising on litigation avoidance, as well as potential products liability exposure under current common law, statutory and regulatory schemes. 

Our experience litigating products liability disputes includes handling cases involving:

·        Asbestos

·        Automotive products

·        Breast implants

·        Chemicals

·        Compressed gas cylinders

·        Electrical components

·        Firearms

·        Food products

·        Industrial chemicals

·        Industrial machinery

·        Pharmaceutical products

·        Silica

·        Tires

·        Tobacco

·        Wood products

Butler Rubin attorneys have a wide breadth of experience in a broad spectrum of products liability matters.

• As National Coordinating Counsel for manufacturers in mass tort cases, our lawyers oversee litigation, manage performance of local counsel, and supervise and assist local counsel throughout the United States in the defense and resolution of the underlying bodily injury suits.
• Acting as National Coordinating Counsel for a major tire manufacturer in the trial and resolution of cases across the country following a massive recall of its products.  Our lawyers selected, supervised and assisted regional and local counsel throughout the United States and Canada in the defense and resolution of products liability cases involving truck tires and rims.  In handling these cases, we not only were involved in discovery and trial preparation, but also coordinated and carried out a nationwide settlement program which included our attendance at numerous mediation conferences around the country.
Our lawyers oversaw a massive review and production of documents in response to U.S. Congressional investigations and hearings, a National Highway Traffic Safety Council investigation, claims by multiple state Attorneys General and a rash of lawsuits across the country stemming from client’s recall of over 14 million products.  They formulated the document review protocol and production strategy, as well as trained and supervised teams of attorneys and paralegals who carried it out.
We are currently acting as national tort counsel to a Fortune 500 company in the compressed gas industry.  We represent this client in tort matters involving industrial gases and products, as well as cases involving medical oxygen and other products, including custom-built mechanical wheelchairs.  We also regularly counsel this company in many areas, including litigation prevention, risk assessment and litigation management.
We have represented numerous manufacturing and premises clients in asbestos and silica litigation in courts throughout the nation and have instituted programs to significantly reduce costs and future litigation.
We have defended pharmaceutical and chemical companies in cases involving medical devices, pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals.
Our lawyers have first and second chaired jury trials in products liability cases in many jurisdictions, including Arkansas, California, Illinois and Wisconsin.
Since 1997, we have represented Liggett Group Inc. and its affiliates in products liability and related litigation in Cook County over the health hazards and addictive nature of tobacco.  The firm has successfully represented the company in individual smoker, class action and health care reimbursement claims and is very familiar with federal preemption doctrines, assumption of the risk theories, and defenses to be utilized with intrinsically dangerous products.
Our lawyers have been continuously involved in asbestos litigation since 1984.  Clients represented have included U.S. Gypsum, GAF Corporation, International Paper, and W.R. Grace & Co., as well as manufacturers of pumps and other products.
We have acted as regional counsel for a major manufacturer of office equipment, including chairs, cabinets, and other furnishings.  In representing this client, we have handled product liability cases, commercial litigation, warranty claims and breach of contract cases.
We have represented a major pharmaceutical manufacturer of an insomnia drug in product liability litigation in the Circuit Court of Cook County.
We have represented a manufacturer of breast implants in consolidated Cook County, Illinois litigation.
We are representing a major food manufacturer in various types of cases and claims in Illinois, including contaminated food cases.