Eric Friedman Provides Insights on Washington State Appeals Court Reversal

Product liability and mass torts associate Eric Friedman lent insights into the Washington Court of Appeals ruling to overturn a $185 million verdict against Monsanto Co. for Law360. 

The article reports that the court overturned a previous decision which did not apply Washington’s statute of repose, which says a product seller cannot be held liable for harm caused after a product's 12-year "useful safe life" has expired unless certain exceptions apply. The trial court judge instead used statute from Missouri, Mansanto’s home state, which does not set a time limit for defective product suits. 

"This really simplifies the choice of law issues," Friedman said. "If you're dealing with a Washington Product Liability Act claim, you're dealing with the WPLA statute of repose, full stop. You don't need to think any further about that."