From CNN:
The U.S. Supreme Court, in an 8-1 ruling Wednesday, said federal
medical-device regulations prevent patients from bringing state
product-liability lawsuits unless a medical-device company violated U.S.
Food and Drug Administration regulations.

"This decision shows that the extensive degree and nature of FDA
regulation necessarily means that its scientific decisions may not be
second-guessed by unscientific state juries," said Daniel Troy, a
partner at Sidney Austin LLP and a former FDA legal counsel.

It would seem to me that the manufacturers of certificated aircraft
could argue for a similar protection since the aircraft must meet
stringent tests and design parameters in order to recieve a type
certificate from the FAA. Heck, they could even use this ruling in favor
of Medtronic to support their case. Piper, Cessna, Lycoming, Textron,
anybody out there listening?