Join us for a webinar hosted by The Harmonie Group's Products Liability Committee on Thursday, September 25th at 12:00PM Central Time. There will be three topics presented, followed by a live roundtable discussion with an opportunity to submit questions. This webinar is approved for 1 hour of Adjuster CE Credit for Texas.

Deconstructing Rule 702: Gatekeeping Standards in Products Liability Litigation

Marie Chafe

A judge's gatekeeping role in evaluating the admission or exclusion of expert testimony can make or break a case. This presentation will explore the recent amendments to the rule, key case law, and practical strategies for challenging or defending expert evidence. What tactical moves can you make to ensure reliable and relevant expert evidence works for you? Attendees will learn to spot potential weaknesses in opposing experts early, strengthen their own expert positions, and anticipate evidentiary challenges that could alter the course of litigation.

Liability in the Gig Economy: Defending Against Product-Related Claims

Zachary Pyers

"Liability in the Gig Economy: Defending Against Product-Related Claims" explores the evolving legal landscape surrounding gig workers and the companies that engage them, particularly in the context of product liability. This session will examine key challenges in assigning responsibility, recent case law, and effective defense strategies for businesses navigating claims arising from products distributed or serviced through gig platforms. Attendees will learn how to identify potential liability exposures unique to gig arrangements and strengthen defense positions in this rapidly changing area.

Products Liability as an Additional Pocket of Money: Where Products Liability Dovetails with User/Professional Negligence Claims in Construction, Design and Development

Anne Cohen & Sharlei Hsu

Products and materials used in the construction of buildings are often only available to licensed professional users. When those products exhibit latent failures, the relationships between product sellers, manufacturers, installers and design professionals are put in the spotlight. Causation for those failures can also be multifactorial, split between product limitations, user error and design errors. This can result in a complex risk splitting exercise with high stakes for all involved. Claims professionals will learn how to identify when products liability may provide an additional avenue for recovery, how to evaluate overlapping negligence and product defect exposures, and how to strategically allocate fault. Attendees will leave with practical tools to recognize and leverage these opportunities in their own case evaluations.

Cassie Meyer | Executive Director | cmeyer@harmonie.org | www.harmonie.org