Jaret J. Fuente

Overview

Jaret Fuente represents businesses and professionals in commercial disputes, class actions, and tort litigation in the construction, development, health care, insurance, product manufacturing, and real estate industries.

Jaret represents product manufacturers in the automotive, aviation, chemical, medical device, pharmaceutical, recreational product, and sporting goods sectors in connection with consumer fraud, crashworthiness, design and manufacturing defect, and warranty claims. Jaret has also represented an automotive manufacturer in a series of class actions involving deceptive and unfair trade practices claims arising from alleged product defects. He has extensive experience handling personal injury and wrongful death matters ranging from premises liability and negligent security to benzene exposure.

Jaret represents builders, contractors, and developers in breach of contract, construction defect, mold, and building product-related claims. He represented homebuilders involved in the Chinese drywall product liability multidistrict litigation proceeding in Louisiana.

Jaret has experience in all phases of litigation, including early case assessments and resolutions, class certification determination, binding arbitration, and trial.

Jaret is certified as a circuit civil mediator by the Florida Supreme Court. He is also certified as a mediator by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Experience

• Defended aircraft manufacturer in product liability litigation in state and federal courts arising from fatal crashes in general aviation.
• Represented homebuilders in individual and class actions and in multidistrict litigation proceedings involving Chinese drywall.
• Represented contractors, homebuilders, and residential property lessors in construction defect litigation, including litigation arising from mold.
• Represented prescription drug manufacturers in individual and mass tort actions involving personal injury and wrongful death claims.
• Represented medical device manufacturers in individual and mass tort actions involving hip and knee implants.
• Represented automotive manufacturer in class actions arising from consumer fraud and warranty claims, and defeated class certification.
• Represented automotive manufacturers in personal injury and wrongful death actions arising from crashworthiness claims.
• Represented chemical product manufacturer in personal injury and wrongful death actions arising from exposure to trace benzene.

Representative Decisions

• Laschober v. Ford Motor Co., 88 So.3d 943 (Fla. 2d DCA 2012) (affirming, per curiam, summary judgment on individual Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act claim where plaintiff lacked expert proof of design defect, after denial of class certification).
• Cramer v. Ford Motor Co., No. 2007-CA-2135-NC, 2010 WL 3337647 (Fla. Cir. Ct. Aug. 25, 2010) (granting partial summary judgment on individual claims for express warranty and injunctive relief under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, after denial of class certification).
• Cramer v. Ford Motor Co., 49 So. 3d 241 (Fla. 2d DCA 2010) (affirming denial of plaintiffs’ motion for class certification as to claim for violation of Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act).
• Lewis v. Ford Motor Co., 685 F. Supp. 2d 557 (W.D. Pa. 2010) (holding that CAFA jurisdiction existed at time of removal, that denial of class certification did not divest court of CAFA jurisdiction, and denying plaintiffs’ renewed motion to remand in Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law claim).
• Lewis v. Ford Motor Co., 263 F.R.D. 252 (W.D. Pa. 2009) (denying plaintiffs’ motion for class certification as to claim for violation of Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law).
• Lewis v. Ford Motor Co., No. 2:09-cv-00164, 2009 WL 2355744 (W.D. Pa. June 30, 2009) (denying plaintiffs’ motion to exclude defense expert in consumer class action under the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law).
• Brisson v. Ford Motor Co., 602 F. Supp. 2d 1227 (M.D. Fla. 2009) (dismissing consumer class action against vehicle manufacturer for breach of express and implied warranties).
• Marzullo v. Crosman Corp., 289 F. Supp. 2d 1337 (M.D. Fla. 2003) (granting summary judgment in favor of air rifle manufacturer on design defect and failure to warn claims).
• Palermo v. Corr. Med. Servs., Inc., 148 F. Supp. 2d 1340 (S.D. Fla. 2001) (granting summary judgment in favor of physician on section 1983 claims).
• Palermo v. Corr. Med. Servs., Inc., 133 F. Supp. 2d 1348 (S.D. Fla. 2001) (granting partial summary judgment in favor of physician on section 1983 claims).

Recognition

• AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
• Certified Circuit Civil Mediator by the Florida Supreme Court
• Certified Mediator by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
• The Best Lawyers in America
  • Tampa "Lawyer of the Year," Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (2022)
  • Construction Litigation, ​Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (2020–2024)
• Florida Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers Magazine (2012–2023)
• Florida Legal Elite, Florida Trend Magazine (2007, 2011, 2017)

Credentials

Areas of Focus