Since recently departing from the economic loss rule, Washington courts have continued to expand the scope and applicability of the independent duty doctrine in a variety of circumstances. A recent appellate case, The Point at Westport Harbor Homeowners’ Association v. Engineers Northwest, Inc.,[1] further enlarges the doctrine to include scenarios where no actual property damage...

Despite over a decade of laptop battery recalls, one of the latest chapters in the lithium-ion fire hazard saga unfolded on June 23, 2016, when HP issued a sweeping recall of batteries installed in its notebook computers. The particular lithium-ion batteries subject to the recall, the company states, “have the potential to overheat, posing a fire...