McClure and Daniels Secure Take-Nothing Defense Verdict in a Marshall, Texas, Products Case Involving 5 Fatalities

In August, 2009, Wade McClure and Ruth Ann Daniels secured a unanimous take-nothing jury verdict on behalf of a global leader in fire protection products in a case involving the functionality of one of its alarms during a fatal 2006 fire in East Texas which resulted in the deaths of five residents of the home. The plaintiffs claimed the smoke detector malfunctioned because the technology was unreasonably defective and that the instructions contained with the mass-marketed alarm product failed to properly warn consumers. Following a four-day trial, the Plaintiffs sought in excess of $15 million. The jury deliberated just 25 minutes before returning the defense verdict in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division.  To view Texas Lawyer newspaper's coverage of the verdict, click here.