Lex Machina 2026 Product Liability Litigation Report: Non-MDL Federal Filings Reach a Ten-Year High as Vehicle Warranty Cases Drive Activity

New report shows nearly $3 billion in 2025 court-ordered product liability damages, California's continued prominence in product litigation, and a landscape of litigation shaped by a small number of massive cases

San Jose, CA, Sept. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LexisNexis^® Legal & Professional announced today the release of the Lex Machina^® 2026 Product Liability Litigation Report, a comprehensive, data-driven analysis of trends shaping U.S. product liability litigation in federal district and circuit courts, with additional insights exploring trends in the especially busy Superior Court of Los Angeles County. The analysis explores trends in 813,960 product liability cases in federal district courts, 3,102 federal circuit court cases docketed from 2016 through 2025, together with 36,939 product liability cases in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Powered by insights from Lex Machina^®, the LexisNexis^® Legal Analytics^® platform, the report dissects trends dating back to 2016 and provides timely observations from the first half of 2026. The analysis explores shifts in filings, appeals, timing, resolutions, findings, and damage awards, along with details regarding the judges, parties, and counsel most involved in federal product litigation.

Key findings from the report include:

• Federal product liability filing activity reached a new high in 2025, driven by vehicle cases: From 2023 through 2025, more new product liability cases were filed in federal district courts than intellectual property, labor and employment, and civil rights cases combined. Excluding cases associated with multidistrict litigation (MDLs), claimants filed 5,692 product liability cases in 2025, a 31% increase from 2024 and the highest annual total in the 2016-2025 period. Vehicle product cases rose to 3,281, up roughly 269% from 2016 and representing more than half of all non-MDL product liability filings in 2025.
• Product liability damage awards rebounded above recent levels, but one extraordinary judgment dominated the total: Courts awarded $2.976 billion in product liability damages across 38 cases in 2025, more than double the $1.338 billion awarded across 39 cases in 2024 and above the $2.044 billion awarded across 52 cases in 2023. The 2025 total was the highest since 2017, though a single judgment for approximately $2.53 billion accounted for most of that sum. From 2023 through 2025, court-ordered awards and approved class action settlements exceeded $6.37 billion in principal damages.
• California has seen a remarkable surge in product liability lawsuits: The Central District of California received 3,004 non-MDL product liability cases from 2023 through 2025, or 21.2% of the national total and more than three times the volume of any other federal district. California’s four federal districts together accounted for more than one-third of all such cases. In Los Angeles Superior Court, annual product liability filings increased from 479 in 2021 to 11,822 in 2025, with most recent actions filed against automakers under the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act.

“Product liability litigation rarely follows one simple path,” said Eric Wright, senior vice president for Lex Machina at LexisNexis. “In the latest data, the trends behind case volume, duration, and damages vary sharply between MDL and non-MDL matters, different types of claims, and individual venues. The report gives legal and risk professionals a clear view of those differences, while Lex Machina lets them apply that same level of detail to the judges, parties, counsel, outcomes, and damages that matter most to their own work.”

To request a copy of the report, visit LexisNexis.com/LexMachina.  

The Lex Machina platform equips litigation professionals to develop stronger case strategies and generate business. From precise timing metrics that inform legal budgeting to trend data on top law firms and leading judges, Lex Machina supplements traditional legal research and experience with customized, data-backed insights. These insights help lawyers identify and pursue new matters, navigate motion and trial strategies, and negotiate smarter settlements, ultimately giving firms a competitive edge in litigation.

About LexisNexis^® Legal & Professional 

LexisNexis^® Legal & Professional provides AI-powered legal, regulatory, business information, analytics and workflows that help customers increase their productivity, improve decision-making, achieve better outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis^® and Nexis^® services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 150 countries with 11,900 employees worldwide, is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.

About Lex Machina 

Lex Machina^® fundamentally changes how companies and law firms compete in the business and practice of law. The company provides strategic insights on judges, lawyers, law firms, parties, and other critical information across 22 federal practice areas and a rapidly growing number of state courts. Lex Machina allows law firms and companies to anticipate the behaviors and outcomes that different legal strategies will produce, supporting more effective case strategy and business development efforts.

Lex Machina was named Winner of the “Overall LegalTech Data Solution Provider of the Year” LegalTech Breakthrough Award 2025, “Best Data Analytics & Insight Solution” 2025 CODiE Award, and Winner of the “Media Excellence Award” for Analytics/Big Data 2024. Based in Silicon Valley, Lex Machina is part of LexisNexis^®, a leading global provider of legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics. For more information, please visit https://www.lexisnexis.com/en-us/products/lex-machina.page.

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