Even after setback, trial lawyers threaten U.S. manufacturing

For all their differences, both of America’s political parties talk about the restoration of American manufacturing as a major goal of U.S. economic policy. But what if American courts undermine this goal by simply ignoring legal precedent and letting trial lawyers get rich by undermining domestic manufacturing?

That concern arises from a federal class-action lawsuit that just concluded in Ohio last week. The jury in this case ruled that Whirlpool had not negligently designed 20 different models of low-water, energy-efficient washing machines sold over an eight-year period. The case was brought because between one and three percent of the machines developed a musty smell after about 18 months of operation.