The piecemeal developments in product liability reform in Europe have their origins in the tragic association of phocomelia in children with thalidomide in 1962. In many ways these events have continued to generate pressure for reform of product liability, especially for the victims of drug-induced injury. This monograph attempts to address the major problems that typify claims for drug-induced injury, as well as highlighting the complex interrelationship between liability exposure and drug regulation. While medicinal products are subject to strict liability under the product liability directive, the claimant may have considerable difficulty in establishing that the relevant product is defective and that it caused the damage. It may also be necessary to overcome the development risk defence where this is pleaded. The monograph addresses these problems on a comparative jurisprudential basis, and seeks to determine whether medicinal products should be treated as a special case in the field of product liability. It examines the role of epidemiological evidence in assessing causation in product liability cases concerning medicinal products in the light of recent developments in the UK Supreme Court, the United States, Canada and France. In particular, it addresses the difficulties in reconciling the standards of proof in law and science, including the theory that causation can be proved on the balance of probabilities by reference to the doubling of risk of injury. An important case study compares and contrasts the approaches of the UK and the US to the measles, mumps, rubella Litigation. The book also examines the question as to whether compliance with regulatory standards should protect pharmaceutical manufacturers from product liability suits. It seeks to support a via media whereby the victims of drug induced injury can receive justice, while at the same time encouraging drug safety and innovation in drug development.

In the past 50 years the development of a wide range of medical devices has improved the quality of people's lives and revolutionized the prevention and treatment of disease, but it also has contributed to the high cost of health care. Issues that shape the invention of new medical devices and affect their introduction and use are explored in this volume. The authors examine the role of federal support, the decision-making process behind private funding, the need for reforms in regulation and product liability, the effects of the medical payment system, and other critical topics relevant to the development of new devices.

Mark Geistfeld, the author of the leading textbook on products liability, an important text on tort law and dozens of scholarly articles, has class-tested the material in Products Liability Law for more than five years at NYU. He has made the study of products liability an advanced torts class that cements knowledge of fundamental tort principles while developing both specialized expertise and a deeper understanding of the torts process. Illuminating textual discussion follows a wide range of riveting cases. Unlike many casebooks that simply pose the question, Products Liability Law provides the analyses needed to address each challenging problem. Unifying the two competing conceptions of products liability, students become familiar with both approaches and develop a balanced perspective. Features: Stellar authorship: Mark Geistfeld leading textbook on products liability important tort law textbook dozens of scholarly articles. Classroom-tested for five years Makes the study of products liability an advanced tortsclass cements knowledge of fundamental tort principles develops both specialized expertise and a deeper understanding of the torts process Wide range of interesting cases followed by extended textual discussion Provides analysis needed to address challenging questions, missing from most casebooks Unifies the two competing conceptions of products liability

Featuring chapters from Uría Menéndez, Deneys Reitz Inc and Minter Ellison, this first edition covers key issues that can arise in relation to product regulation, recall, liability and insurance coverage in a number of jurisdictions in Europe, North America, South America and Asia.

This work provides comprehensive analysis of product liability under the common law of negligence, the strict liability provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 1987, and the EU's Product Liability Directive, placed in the context of the international and transnational legal framework.--

This book takes a look at fully automated, autonomous vehicles and discusses many open questions: How can autonomous vehicles be integrated into the current transportation system with diverse users and human drivers? Where do automated vehicles fall under current legal frameworks? What risks are associated with automation and how will society respond to these risks? How will the marketplace react to automated vehicles and what changes may be necessary for companies? Experts from Germany and the United States define key societal, engineering, and mobility issues related to the automation of vehicles. They discuss the decisions programmers of automated vehicles must make to enable vehicles to perceive their environment, interact with other road users, and choose actions that may have ethical consequences. The authors further identify expectations and concerns that will form the basis for individual and societal acceptance of autonomous driving. While the safety benefits of such vehicles are tremendous, the authors demonstrate that these benefits will only be achieved if vehicles have an appropriate safety concept at the heart of their design. Realizing the potential of automated vehicles to reorganize traffic and transform mobility of people and goods requires similar care in the design of vehicles and networks. By covering all of these topics, the book aims to provide a current, comprehensive, and scientifically sound treatment of the emerging field of “autonomous driving".