Shook Partner Alison Newstead and Associate Leo Fielding have answered questions on product liability developments in the United Kingdom for an interview with Financier Worldwide. Questions ranged from trends in U.K. product liability claims, regulatory and legal developments, specific challenges associated with product liability claims, and proactive steps to mitigate harms in the event of a product liability claim.
"Companies can take various steps to minimise the likelihood and extent of product liability claims and manage any potential safety issue that may arise," Newstead and Fielding note. Their suggested steps include implementing a robust quality assurance system, maintaining a process for documenting and managing potential safety issues, and devising a product recall plan. "Companies must identify and engage those who will be likely to support the company in a recall situation, such as lawyers, PR companies and logistical support for telephone helplines, product collection and destruction," they advise. "This will help the company move nimbly if a recall situation arises."
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