The first big case, Lewy v. Remington, 836 F.2d 1104, 1106-07 (8th Cir. 1988); the Eighth Circuit upheld a finding of punitive damages against Remington in a 1985 court sanction (no trial).
Remington refused to provide discovery: the manufacturing / development records and complaints / reports of accidental discharge. They told the trial court that all of the documents had been destroyed. The "win" in Lewy (a discharge that killed a child) was a "sanction" against Remington for spoliation of evidence ( district courts have inherent authority to impose sanctions when a party destroys evidence that it knows or should know is relevant to potential litigation and thereby prejudices its potential adversary.)
There were three other lawsuits that went to trial - with substantial verdicts against Remington and the "destroyed" documents suddenly started appearing. I've attached a 1947 Remington memo (used as evidence in the three cases following the 8th Cir. case) and it speaks for itself.
Finally, read this gunsmith's analysis of the Walker Trigger: http://www.gunsmiths.com/articledetail.php?id=87
Remington refused to provide discovery: the manufacturing / development records and complaints / reports of accidental discharge. They told the trial court that all of the documents had been destroyed. The "win" in Lewy (a discharge that killed a child) was a "sanction" against Remington for spoliation of evidence ( district courts have inherent authority to impose sanctions when a party destroys evidence that it knows or should know is relevant to potential litigation and thereby prejudices its potential adversary.)
There were three other lawsuits that went to trial - with substantial verdicts against Remington and the "destroyed" documents suddenly started appearing. I've attached a 1947 Remington memo (used as evidence in the three cases following the 8th Cir. case) and it speaks for itself.
Finally, read this gunsmith's analysis of the Walker Trigger: http://www.gunsmiths.com/articledetail.php?id=87