Trial Verdict 2017-6: Morrison Mahoney Associate Ashley R. Theodore

Morrison Mahoney Associate Ashley Theodore recently won a defense verdict in a products liability case. The plaintiff alleged that he had suffered injuries as the result of an allegedly-defective jarred candle manufactured by our client. Specifically, he claimed that after several hours of the candle burning, the flames in the jar suddenly grew “out of control,” that he panicked, that he frantically blew into the jar to put out the flames, and that hot liquid wax hit is face, causing approximately a dozen small-but-prominent facial burns and bleeds. At trial, Ashley argued (1) that the plaintiff had failed to present any evidence – including expert evidence – of a product defect and (2) noted that the plaintiff violated two product warnings, i.e., (a) to keep the candle wicks at 1/8” or smaller at all times (to avoid larger flames and soot) and (b) to keep the candle within visual range at all times.