Defective Products
Gilman and Pastor, LLP has successfully prosecuted many cases involving dangerous and/or defective products over the last 40 years. These actions cover a wide spectrum of products, and injuries, including drugs, medical devices and implants, defective consumer products, defective building materials, automobiles, multiple types of vehicles and machinery, which are defectively designed and/or contain defective components.
Product Liability cases involve situations in which a person or property is injured or damaged due to a dangerous or defective product. In a product liability case, persons who may be responsible parties include but are not limited to: the designer, engineer, manufacturer, seller, or supplier of a product. Product liability cases are typically complex and require a thorough analysis of the facts and law applicable to a claim to determine liability for any injury or damage caused by such product.
- Automobiles, Trucks and Other Vehicles
- Building Products
- Children’s Products
- Cigarettes
- Consumer Products
- Elevators
- Electrical and Utilities
- Guidant Defibrillators
- Implant Failures
- Medical Devices
If you or a family member have been injured or experienced problems with a product which you believe is dangerous and/or defective or if you want more information, please contact us for a free evaluation of your case.
For over 40 years, the firm has successfully prosecuted and defended product liability cases related to many dangerous and defective products such as asbestos, aviation defects and crashes, defective automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, building products, construction products, elevators, medical devices and consumer products. The Gilman law firm is actively involved in litigation involving defective products, including defective building products, pharmaceutical products, defective motor vehicles, defective motorcycles and many other consumer products.
In In re Shake Roof Cases, Judicial Council Coordination Proceeding No. 4208, (Contra Costa Cty, California Superior Court), the Court granted final approval to a $61,420,000 partial settlement fund for owner’s of properties on which certain manufactured cement composite roofing products were installed. Gilman and Pastor, LLP was one of four firms that represented the class members. After extensive litigation on all fronts, the case was settled during the trial against certain defendants for over $61 million dollars.
In Sebago, Inc., et al. v. Beazer East, Inc., et al., No. 96-10069 (D. Mass.), Gilman and Pastor, LLP served as lead class counsel in a suit on behalf of owners of buildings with corrosive phenolic foam roof insulation. The litigation was extremely contentious, involved numerous potentially dispositive motions, discovery motions and extensive class certification proceedings. The defendants ultimately produced hundreds of thousands of documents as well as hundreds of depositions. To prepare for hearings on class certification, summary judgment and trial, Gilman and Pastor marshaled testimony from experts in a variety of disciplines, including roofing, engineering, structural engineering, materials science and corrosion, and financial analysis. The firm obtained a significant decision upholding RICO claims against the manufacturers. See Sebago, Inc. v. Beazer East, Inc., 18 F. Supp. 2d 70 (D.Mass. 1998). The Court approved nationwide class settlements with the two manufacturers of the phenolic foam insulation, with a combined value of more than $240 million.
In Coleman, et al. v. GAF Building Materials Corporation, No. CV-96-0954-GALANOS (Circuit Court of Mobile County, Alabama), Gilman and Pastor, LLP served as lead counsel for a nationwide class of persons who owned properties with defective roofing shingles. The firm extensively litigated the case for several years and obtained a settlement for its clients in excess of $75 million.
In Paradis v. Bird Incorporated, No. 00-C-0235 (Merrimack, N.H. Superior Court), Gilman and Pastor, LLP served as lead counsel on behalf of purchasers of Bird defective roofing shingles. The settlement was obtained after extensive discovery and was valued at approximately $9.6 million.
Other cases handled by the firm involving defective building products include Foster v. ABTco, Inc. (Civil Action No. CV95-151-M, Choctaw County, Alabama) (defective hardboard siding; nationwide class certified and class settlement approved); In re Louisiana-Pacific Corporation Inner-Seal OSB Trade Practices Litigation, (Master File No. C-95-3178-VRW, N.D.Cal.) (defective oriented strand board (OSB); nationwide class certified and settlement approved).
Gilman Law LLP represented over 40,000 consumers who purchased defective Honda Goldwings motorcycles in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, which case involved complex welding processes and defective frames used in certain Honda Goldwings from 2001 through 2005. The firm achieved a successful result requiring Honda to replace the entire frame of any Honda Goldwing manifesting a crack in the frame for the entire operating life of each Honda Goldwing nationwide. Costantini, et al. v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., C.A. No. 05-cv-169-FtM-34SPC (M.D. Fl.)