Product Liability and Tort Litigation
Sarah has 20 years of experience defending businesses sued for product defects. She has defended more than 75 product liability cases arising from a wide variety of industries.
Sarah represents manufacturers and sellers of consumer goods, vehicles, and drug/medical devices (including motor vehicles, trailers, watercraft, vehicle components, exercise equipment, medical devices, window blinds, pharmaceuticals, ammunitions, appliances, farm implements, complex industrial machinery, pressurized bottles, fire suppression systems, toilets/sinks/plumbing materials, and chemical solvents, among others.
In addition to her product liability defense work, Sarah has broad experience defending landowners and possessors of land sued in premises liability cases involving serious injuries sustained on their land, drivers involved in catastrophic multi-vehicle fatality crashes, and transportation companies/aircraft operators and drivers/pilots named in wrongful death and catastrophic injury claims arising from semi–truck and aircraft accidents.
Sarah’s work in tort, product liability, and negligence cases focuses almost exclusively on defending businesses and their employees/officers/directors. Even so, Sarah believes in justice—and justice is blind. She has, in select cases, represented injured parties, and decedents' heirs and estates, in negligence, survival, and wrongful death claims arising from semi-tractor and motor vehicle crashes, as well as deaths arising from Section 1983 civil rights violations. (When it comes to product liability claims, however, Sarah exclusively defends businesses; she has never represented a plaintiff in a product case).
Representative Wins
Won summary judgment for manufacturer of e-scooter on grounds of no evidence of defect (Leachman v. Rad Power Bikes, Case 190904749, Third District Court for Salt Lake County).
Won motion for summary judgment on behalf of a landowner in case involving a slip and fall and no duty of care owed to a trespasser (Biggs v. Hades Management, Case 200905790, Third District Court for Salt Lake County).
Won motion to dismiss filed on behalf of a hotel operator in a case alleging a dangerous activity on the land arising from crowd-rush at a hotel seminar (Elder v. Marriott International, Inc., Case 220400440, Fourth District Court for Utah County).
Won motion for summary judgment in snow removal slip and fall premises liability case (Elias v. Roth Landscaping, Case 210905102, Third District Court for Salt Lake County).
Won summary judgment in favor of gas station operator in case alleging negligence and warranty claims arising from sale of diesel allegedly contaminated with gasoline (National Equipment v. Kendrick, case no. 20220359, First Judicial District Court for Cache County) (case settled on appeal after Sarah obtained a judgment on costs that were awarded to her gas station client as the prevailing party and began pursuing execution proceedings)).
Won summary judgment for trailer manufactuer in design defect case (Gygi v. Marksman Manufacturing, 180903826, Third Judicial District Court for Salt Lake County).
Won summary judgment for bar sued for wrongful death dramshop liability for allegedly over-serving customer; summary judgment granted based on no evidence of liability (Hautau v. Kiitos, case no. 200901240, Third Judicial District Court for Salt Lake County) (summary judgment certified as a final judgment while claims against other bars were still ongoing, no party appealed).
Won summary judgment for manufacturer of bass boat and obtained affirmance on appeal (Feasel v. Tracker Marine, 2021 UT 47, 496 P.3d 95 (Utah 2021).
Won summary judgment for manufacturer of pressurized bottle in design defect case and obtained affirmance on appeal (Plustwik v. Voss of Norway, 10th Circuit case no. 13-4089).
