Overview
Overview
O’Hagan Meyer defends manufacturers and businesses against product-related claims while protecting brand integrity and long-term commercial value.
Bringing a product to market requires significant investment in design, testing, and refinement, and when claims arise alleging defects or failures, they can expose businesses to substantial financial, legal, and reputational risk. We help clients navigate these challenges with practical, litigation-focused strategies designed to protect both immediate interests and long-term business objectives.
We represent manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and other businesses across a wide range of products liability and tort matters. Our team understands the full lifecycle of a product, from concept through commercialization, and uses that insight to assess claims early, identify viable defenses, and develop efficient litigation strategies tailored to each client’s operations and industry.
Our attorneys handle complex matters involving:
- Design defect, manufacturing defect, and failure-to-warn claims
- Broader tort litigation arising from product use and consumer allegations
- Catastrophic injury and wrongful death claims
- Toxic tort and mass tort litigation
- Product-related class actions
We work closely with engineers, industry specialists, and internal client teams to evaluate technical issues and build fact-driven defenses appropriate for complex litigation environments. In cases involving multiple parties or overlapping legal considerations, we coordinate strategies across stakeholders, including insurers, co-defendants, and regulatory bodies, to ensure consistency and effectiveness across forums.
Product liability matters are often resource-intensive and high-stakes, requiring a balanced approach that accounts for both legal exposure and business impact. We focus on early case assessment and strategic planning, including:
- Evaluating liability, exposure, and potential defenses at the outset
- Identifying opportunities for early resolution through motion practice or negotiation
- Preparing cases for effective advocacy in trial or arbitration
- Managing multi-party and multi-jurisdictional litigation efficiently
Our approach is grounded in aligning litigation strategy with business priorities. We work to control costs, minimize operational disruption, and preserve key commercial relationships while advancing strong defenses in state and federal courts nationwide, as well as in arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution proceedings.
In addition to litigation, we provide proactive counseling to reduce future exposure and strengthen clients’ risk management practices. Our services include:
- Product liability risk assessment and pre-litigation counseling
- Guidance on product recalls and regulatory compliance issues
- Coordination of indemnity and contribution claims among product chain participants
- Insurance coverage analysis related to product liability claims
- Development of strategies to address potential claims before they arise
