Ultimately, the typical U.S. company reported spending an average of $14.3 million on litigation in the past year. Billion-dollar companies on average find themselves fielding 556 cases at any given time, with 50 new suits cropping up annually. Nearly a third of U.S. manufacturers expect their caseloads to increase in future years.

According to the study, now in its 3rd year and based on responses from 422 companies worldwide, product liability disputes represent manufacturers' greatest concern, with 66 percent of respondents listing them among their largest worries. Other legal headaches include labor and employment disputes (51 percent), patent disputes (40 percent), contracts (34 percent) and environmental torts (29 percent).