Securing defense jury verdict in catastrophic injury case.

Lightfoot defended a valve manufacturer in a South Carolina product strict liability case arising from an LP gas explosion and fire that occurred in Hardeeville, South Carolina. The plaintiffs were two LP gas servicemen who were severely burned in the fire, as well as their respective wives who alleged loss of consortium claims. The two injured plaintiffs' undisputed medical expenses to date were over $2.68 million, and plaintiffs claimed over $1 million in past and future economic loss. Plaintiffs alleged that a hose adaptor valve made by our client that was installed on an LP gas tank was defective and unreasonably dangerous, resulting in the fire and plaintiffs' injuries. The case, pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina initially tried for seven days, but the jury was deadlocked 10 to 1 in favor of our client. The case retried six years later and after six hours of deliberation, the jury returned a unanimous verdict in favor of our client.