Our Product Liability Group represents the interests of domestic and international manufacturers, distributors, and retailers in a wide variety of matters throughout South Carolina. Our attorneys also manage and coordinate litigation and risk management for product manufacturers regionally and nationally. For over thirty years, the firm’s attorneys have been involved in landmark decisions that have helped shape the face of product liability law in South Carolina. We are committed to providing the highest quality service, to being proactive, and to being responsive to our clients’ needs for cost effectiveness. As a result of that commitment, our product liability attorneys are recognized by their clients and by their peers. Industries for which the firm has defended product liability cases include automotive, building products, consumer products, equipment and machinery, food and beverage, pharmaceutical and medical devices, recreational products, and watercraft, marine and aviation products.
AUTOMOTIVE Our firm has represented the interests of automobile manufacturers as well as tire and rim manufacturers. Representative clients have included BMW, Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, Cooper Tire, Freightliner, Johnson Controls, Toyota, and Volkswagen. A recent example of our impact in this area of product liability law was a significant trade secret victory for a tire manufacturer in a decision by the South Carolina Supreme Court that ruled upon the interplay of the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure and South Carolina’s Trade Secret Act.
BUILDING PRODUCTS Buist Moore is a leader in representing manufacturers of building products such as synthetic stucco systems, polymer-based coatings, and engineered wood. Representative clients include Acrocrete, Atlas Roofing, Dow Corning Corporation, Dryvit Systems, Inc., Global Building Solutions, Sto Corporation and Werzalit of America, Inc. Our attorneys serve as national counsel to Louisiana-Pacific in selected product litigation. Our work has included representation of clients in class actions, and mass tort litigation. We understand the interplay of local building codes and practices, standards in the industry, and building envelope construction and design issues.
CONSUMER PRODUCTS Our defense of consumer products includes hand and power tools, household appliances, electronics, furniture, and exercise equipment, to name a few. Representative clients have included Applica Consumer Products, Black and Decker, Sanyo Electric Company and Toshiba Home Technologies, along with major retailers. Our product liability team has developed particular experience in fire-related product cases. We understand the importance of thorough product knowledge and the effective marshaling of product experts in addressing allegations of defective design, manufacture or warnings.
EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY We have represented equipment and machinery manufacturers for an array of products, ranging from large industrial equipment to small electrical capacitors. Clients have included companies such as AVX, Berchtold, Gleason Works, and HarniSchfeger Corporation.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE Allegations of contaminated food and beverage can have unique legal, operational, and public relations consequences. Our attorneys have represented national food and beverage manufacturers, producers, and suppliers against in both individual claims and class actions arising out of alleged food and beverage contamination, as well as in connection with related regulatory investigations. We have been privileged to help major food companies such as ConAgra through all facets of these matters. Additionally, the firm has many years of experience representing the unique challenges of companies in the tobacco industry.
PHARMACEUTICALS AND MEDICAL DEVICES Buist Moore has significant experience in products liability cases involving pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Our lawyers have represented major pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers and prescribing physicians in complex, local and nationwide litigation. Representative clients have included Alcon Labs, Pharmacy Mutual, and Kinetic Concepts, Inc.
RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS From air guns to ATVs, go carts to exercise equipment, our experience with defense of recreational products is extensive. Representative clients have included Bombardier Recreational Products, Brunswick Corporation, Daisy Manufacturing, and Yamaha Motor Corporation.
WATERCRAFT, MARINE AND AVIATION For over thirty years, Buist Moore has been known in the Southeast for serving the maritime industry. Recognizing that maritime litigation is more than “the law of the land” at sea, Buist Moore has represented admiralty clients in the product liability context, in addition to traditional
Admiralty and Maritime matters. The firm has practiced extensively in the field of recreational boating, representing manufacturers of yachts, engines, personal watercraft, steering components and other marine products, and been involved in such seminal South Carolina cases as
Tisdale v. Teleflex, Inc. and
Young v. Tide Craft, Inc... Our marine product liability clients have included companies such as Genmar, Bertram Yachts, Brunswick Corporation, Shamrock Boats, Teleflex, Viking Yachts and Volvo Penta
. The firm is also national counsel to boat manufacturer Sea Fox Boat Company, Inc. In aviation, we have defended manufacturers such as Teledyne Continental Motors.
Professional Organizations: Our Product Liability attorneys are leaders in professional organizations such as:
American Bar Association – Products Liability Committee
American Boat and Yacht Council
Defense Research Institute – Products Liability Committee
Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel
International Association of Defense Counsel
National Marine Manufacturers Association – Risk Management Committee
Product Liability Advisory Council
South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Association
Sporting Goods Manufacturer’s Association
USLAW – Products Liability Committee
Professional Recognition:
Our Product Liability attorneys are recognized by their peers in leading publications such as:
Best Lawyers
Chambers USA
Super Lawyers
Proctors in Admiralty
World’s Leading Product Liability Lawyers
