A new report suggests that product liability cases not included in multidistrict litigation topped their highest level since 2013, with a total of 5,826 cases recorded to have been filed in 2022. According to the 2023 Product Liability Litigation Report by Lex Machina, this rise has been a constant for seven years, excluding a minor dip in 2021, which may have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The multidistrict litigation referred to confirms to lawsuits where multiple similar cases are transferred to one court in order to hasten pretrial proceedings. Thus, the report’s emphasis on “cases not included in multidistrict litigation” provides a more focussed perspective on independent, novel cases, rather than ones that are part of a larger, aggregated suit.
Descriptive and detailed data on these product liability cases are yet to be explored and will likely be further dissected in the full report. However, the rising trend is clear and invites a broader discussion on accountability and responsibility in product provision, especially within the context of multinational and global organizations.