Keyless Ignitions and the Dangers of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Straight Talks: Autonomous regulations around the world
Straight Talks: Innovations in product liability for autonomous and connected vehicles
Tesla Inc., a leading innovator in electric vehicles, is under increasing legal scrutiny as two major product liability cases bring safety concerns about its cars into sharp focus. These lawsuits highlight alleged design...more
Berkoski v. Honda Motor Company, Ltd., 328 A.3d 986 (N. J. Super., App. Div. 2025) - This product liability action centered on a fatal auto accident; a head-on collision that the plaintiff claimed could have been prevented if...more
In April 2025, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce unanimously approved the Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act. The Act, if it is enacted, would convert current voluntary standards ANSI/CAN/UL...more
The electric vehicle (“EV”) revolution is reshaping the automotive industry, promising a greener future and reduced reliance on fossil fuels. However, as EV adoption accelerates, manufacturers face a growing legal and...more
On December 19, 2024, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) unilaterally issued a warning to consumers to stop using Sport Nets 4’ x 8’ portable soccer goals. According to CPSC, an exposed metal tip at the top of the...more
In recent years, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has increased pressure on consumer product companies through various enforcement mechanisms. The increase in the frequency and amount of civil penalties sought by...more
On December 12, 2024, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finalized a new rule formalizing its whistleblower program and implementing the whistleblower provisions of the Vehicle Safety Act. In...more
During September 2024’s “Baby Safety Month,” the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published its annual report detailing injuries and deaths associated with nursery products among children under the age of five. CPSC...more
In a disappointing, yet somewhat unsurprising, turn of events, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has refused to retract Commissioner Richard Trumka’s unilateral statements earlier this year encouraging retailers...more
Automotive giant Tesla is facing increasing criticism following allegations that the company failed to implement adequate warnings and safety measures on its popular Tesla Supercharger stations. The scrutiny arose after...more
On May 16, 2024, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) took an unconventional action, unilaterally issuing a recall announcement urging consumers to dispose of CHZHVAN Combination Smoke and Carbon...more
In this final installment of our series (see part 1, part 2, and part 3) discussing CPSC’s presence at the 2024 International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization’s annual symposium, we present two smaller, but...more
Join us over the next few months as we spotlight select chapters of Venable’s popular Advertising Law Tool Kit, which helps marketing teams navigate their organization’s legal risk....more
Earlier this year, the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) spotted an outbreak of a rare bacterial infection in 11 (now 16) different states, associated with multiple different infection types, particularly...more
The NYC Fire Department has attributed the cause of many recent fires, some fatal, to overheating lithium-ion batteries (“LIBs”) used in e-bikes and similar electrically powered personal conveyances (generally, “e-bikes”)....more
Data from U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) shows that more consumer products are being recalled now than they have been in recent years. The U.S. PIRG Education Fund published a report on February 2, 2023...more
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has long focused on consumer products that pose unique risks to children, especially products in the home like clothing storage and window coverings; this emphasis has only...more
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will take a hard and fast approach to product safety in FY23, according to its recently passed operating plan, with enforcement being at the top of its priority list....more
In its proposal of a revised product liability directive the European Commission under certain circumstances and to a certain extent requires defendants to disclose evidence on the alleged defect of the product – for which...more
With the aim of bringing product liability rules into the digital age, the European Commission proposes new rules to address liability claims relating to products, in particular AI systems, as well as issues related to...more
Already in 2011, the EU Commission stated its intention to revise the Directive 2001/95/EC on general product safety ("GPSD") "to improve the safety of products circulating in the EU through better coherence and enforcement...more
New Sustainable Batteries Regulation: Reflections from our Global Products Law team Following the closure of the European Commission’s recent consultation period, the European Parliament and Council are set to consider a...more
During the Trump administration, the number of consumer product safety recalls fell for three years in a row. When Robert Adler became Acting Chair of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in 2019, he compared...more
For years consumer product safety advocate groups have bemoaned the seeming lack of aggressiveness from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”). As an example, they complain that the CPSC levied no civil penalties on...more
With the results of Election Day in focus, the transition to a new administration will eventually change the face of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for years to come. Questions persist about the...more