The men and women in America who make the products we use every day now contribute more than $2.2 trillion to the U.S. economy. As optimism in the manufacturing sector reaches historic levels, the industry continues to expand and hire more employees. But there’s a growing threat to manufacturers’ success in the United States: misguided litigation.
There has been a resurgence of lawsuits targeting manufacturers brought by plaintiffs attempting to hold them liable under the legal theory of “public nuisance.” It is a dangerous trend that could harm manufacturers of all sectors and sizes. Recently, this litigation has taken the form of public nuisance lawsuits blaming manufacturers for global climate change.
Lawsuits are now pending in California, New York, Colorado, and Washington against energy manufacturers. The plaintiffs claim emissions have damaged or will lead to harm to local municipalities.