In re Bridgestone/Firestone, et al

Appellants appeal the dismissal of their products liability cases.  The trial court concluded that the doctrine of collateral estoppel applied to a prior forum non conveniens dismissal.  The trial court reasoned that, at the time of the prior forum non conveniens dismissal, Appellant should have foreseen that the foreign forum would be unavailable to them and that issue should have been raised in previous proceedings.  Because we conclude that an alternative exception to the application of collateral estoppel may apply, we reverse.