PRODUCTS LIABILITY
Contact Attorneys: Kenneth P. Borden , Gerald C. DeMaria, Stephen B. Lang, James A. Ruggieri

Higgins, Cavanagh and Cooney has been expertly representing product manufacturers and sellers for almost fifty years. The Product Liability practice group's clients range from some of the world's largest corporations to family owned businesses. In addition to defending suits alleging product defect, we assist our clients in preventing such claims through the performance of product safety audits. The firm also acts as national supervising counsel in the area of product liability.

Our firm takes great pride in its five decades of leadership in the area of product liability defense. We successfully represent manufacturers and sellers of trucks, automobiles, material handling equipment, consumer, recreational, medical and other product areas in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Advocates in this group are also experienced in both individual and mass tort claims.

Our experience allows us to have access to the top expert and technological resources available. As a result, we are able to guide our clients to the best possible result in the most efficient manner. The range and depth of our experience in product liability defense allows us to bring unmatched institutional knowledge of the law to this practice area.

This group has set the standard in the area of product liability defense in Rhode Island for many years. In addition, national supervising counsel from this practice group share their acute knowledge and skills with countless other legal practitioners from across the country.

This unmatched representation has allowed advocates from this group to successfully argue before the State and Federal courts on behalf of a wide variety of clients.

This group persuaded the First Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse Federal District Court decision finding an auto manufacturer liable for injuries caused in an accident involving client's product. The group successfully argued that exclusion of evidence of the driver's intoxication was erroneous.

Our products liability group also convinced the First Circuit Court of Appeals to find that the defense of subsequent alterations of a product should include lack of routine maintenance and care of the product. Therefore, the court vacated the lower court's finding of liability against our client.

The group also persuaded the Supreme Court of Rhode Island to dismiss a claim where the plaintiff had not carried its burden of proof to show that the product alleged to be defective was manufactured by our client.

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