Two bills recently passed by the 84th Texas Legislature, HB 1692 and SB 735 have the potential to affect businesses at risk of personal injury and wrongful death litigation in Texas. Intended to curb the practice of foreign plaintiffs filing claims in Texas courts for personal injuries occurring outside state borders, HB 1692 would change … Continue Reading
Over the centuries, many have sought better opportunities in the United States. For the last few years, tort plaintiffs have been among them. Companies in many industries have been the target of lawsuits filed by plaintiffs who live outside the United States, over injuries that also allegedly occurred elsewhere, whether because of perceived advantages in substantive law within the United States, or access to procedural devices in U.S. courts that are not widely available in the rest of the world (such as the class action device).
In a May 1 opinion by Judge Posner filed in two consolidated appeals, Abad v. Bayer Corp. and Pastor v. Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC, the Seventh Circuit affirmed dismissal of two cases on grounds of forum non conveniens. In both cases, the plaintiffs are Argentine citizens who live in Argentina and allegedly were injured there, but filed product liability lawsuits against American manufacturers in U.S. district courts. Under the familiar forum non conveniens doctrine, the district courts had weighed various factors and concluded in both cases that Argentina was better-suited to decide plaintiffs' lawsuits -- Abad being a 600-plaintiff class action in which hemophiliacs contended they contracted the AIDS virus from the defendant's clotting factor, and Pastor an auto accident rollover case involving allegedly defective tires.… Continue Reading
The Recorder (via Law.Com) has an article today discussing the Fifth Circuit's en banc decision In re Volkswagen of America Inc. and its ramifications for patent litigation.
The case involves the often-discussed (some would say notorious) Eastern District of Texas. The Rio Grande Valley and Gulf Coast of Texas are repeat offenders on the American Tort Reform Association's "Judicial Hellholes" list. Both patent and product liability cases historically have made their way because of the plaintiff-friendly nature of this jurisdiction, and judges in the Eastern District often rejected venue challenges under the reasoning that if a product was available in the jurisdiction, that was enough for venue--even if no other connection linked the case to the Eastern District of Texas. Use the link below to view the entire entry.
Check out our most recent posts at https://www.lifescienceslegalupdate.com, including another post written today, "Recent Post-Riegel and OTC Drug Preemption Cases".… Continue Reading
