Personal Injury Newswire
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Personal Injury Newswire
Garden Hose Mishap Leads to $4.35 Million Settlement
A $4.35 million settlement has been reached in the case of a woman who tripped and fell over a garden hose in a newly-opened Lowe's store, reports the Visalia Times-Delta. The woman, a 71-year-old California resident, was a well-respected children's advocate who served as director for the Tulare County Office of Education Child Care Program. While browsing the flower department at Lowe's, she tripped over the hose, breaking her arm and hitting her head. She then suffered a stroke. She is paralyzed now on one side of her body, and lives in an assisted-care facility. According to the Visalia Times-Delta, ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Alleges Defects in Chevy Tracker, Bridgestone Tire
The Searcy Daily Citizen reports that the estate of an Arkansas woman has filed a civil lawsuit alleging that her death was caused by a defective radial tire, and by defects in her 2002 Chevy Tracker. The 20-year-old woman was killed in a one-vehicle accident when her right rear tire blew out, causing her car to careen into a highway median and flip over several times. She was ejected from her car and died at the scene of the crash. Two passengers survived the accident, which allegedly occurred in the absence of adverse road or weather conditions. The lawsuit claims ...<< MORE >>
Negligence Claimed in Floatplane Crash
According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, two Washington men have filed a personal injury lawsuit against the charter company that leased them a floatplane that crashed into Barkley Sound, located near Vancouver Island. One of the men's 13-year-old son was also a a passenger on the plane that plunged into icy waters in July 2007. The Post-Intelligencer reports that the pilot and passengers all successfully swam to nearby rocks, where they rescued by the Coast Guard. Although none of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries, they allege that the incident has left them with emotional trauma, sleeplessness, and neck pain. The lawsuit ...<< MORE >>
$230,000 Settlement Reached in Rodeo Injury
According to the Great Falls Tribune, a Melsone, Montana man who claims to have received a brain injury when working at a Yellowstone County rodeo has received a $230,000 settlement. The plaintiff allegedly was injured by a swinging gate when the gate's latch system failed to keep it closed. His lawsuit originally sought $3.2 million from the county and from the venue where the rodeo was held. The Great Falls Tribune reports that the settlement was reached following court ordered mediation. The lawsuit had been scheduled to go to trial this week.
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Vytorin May Not Help Hearts, Might Cause Cancer Instead
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Vytorin, a heavily-advertised medication used to combat cholesterol, appeared to cause a spike in cancers in a recent European study. The medicine also failed to prevent complications from aortic stenosis, a serious condition in which blood flow to the heart is inhibited. Vytorin, which is jointly marketed by Merck and Schering-Plough, was effective in reducing cholesterol in test subjects, but the study also indicated that it didn't stave off the need for valve-replacement surgery or reduce hospitalization because of heart failure. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Schering-Plough's CEO believes the cancer risk to be a ...<< MORE >>
Vioxx Settlement Reached for $4.85 Billion
According to the Philadelphia Daily News, drug giant Merck has agreed to a $4.85 billion settlement to be paid out to former users of Vioxx, a painkiller found to have serious cardiovascular side effects. Almost 50,000 claimants are expected to receive payouts ranging from $5,000 to several million dollars. The former blockbuster drug brought in a total of $11 billion before reports of heart problems culminated in its withdrawal from the market in 2004. The Philadelphia Daily News reports that Merck has spent $6.8 billion on Vioxx-related lawsuits.
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Birthing Injuries Result in $18 Million Settlement from Feds
The Chicago Tribune reports that a Milwaukee, Wisconsin family is receiving an $18 million settlement from the federal government for their severe injuries received by their daughter as a result of negligent birthing care. The baby was born at a federally funded clinic. Federal attorneys originally claimed that although there may have been negligence, the U.S. government was not the responsible party. The infant was stuck in the birth canal and deprived of oxygen for 20 minutes. She now is developmentally disabled and has severe cerebral palsy as a result of her brain injury. The Chicago Tribune reports that the ...<< MORE >>
Over $15,000 Sought for "Flaming Shot" Burns
According to the Tampa Tribune, a 24-year-old woman is suing a St. Petersburg, Florida bar for serving her a "flaming shot" of Bacardi 151 proof rum which resulted in 3rd degree burns. The woman claims she was underaged at the time of the incident and should not have been served alcohol. The woman's father, an insurance executive, alleges that he has repeatedly sought a settlement with the bar, but that lack of progress in reaching an agreement has forced the filing of a personal injury lawsuit. The woman spat out the drink, causing the flames to expand. No flames would ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Filed in Alabama Air Show Incident
According to the Huntsville Times, the family of three young children injured at the Huntsville, Alabama air show in June of 2008 have filed a personal injury lawsuit. One of the children, aged 6, suffered a head injury when tents at the air show toppled over in a severe thunderstorm. The others received cuts to the face. The child with the head injury is reportedly recuperating at home. An unrelated child was fatally injured in the incident. The personal injury lawsuit contends that air show organizers negligently failed to properly anchor the tents or to heed manufacturer's warnings that the ...<< MORE >>
NYC Report Pokes Holes in Ground Zero Workers' Illness Claims
The New York Times reports that the a report by city of New York casts doubt on thousands of claims by firefighters, police, and construction workers who claim that they suffered illnesses as a result of working at Ground Zero, the World Trade Center location where the 9/11 terrorist attacks took place. Pending personal injury lawsuits claim that the city was negligent for not providing workers with proper breathing equipment. According to the New York Times, the city faces over a billion dollars in financial liabilities from the lawsuits, and has "ample reason" to minimize the workers' claims. Plaintiffs' attorneys ...<< MORE >>
Banks Sued by Hezbollah Rocket Victims
According to Newsday, the Lebanese-Canadian Bank SAL of Beirut and the American Express Bank of New York have been sued by a group of American, Canadian, and Israeli citizens because of alleged money transfer activities leading to Hezbollah terrorist attacks against Israeli cities. The plaintiffs, whose ages range from 3 to 88 years old, were all injured in the rocket attacks, or had family members who were injured or killed. Their lawsuit alleges that the Lebanese-Canadian Bank "negligently provided extensive banking services to Hizbollah (sic), which caused, enabled and facilitated the terrorist rocket attacks in which the plaintiffs and their ...<< MORE >>
Church-sanctioned Physical Restraint OK, Says Texas Supreme Court
According to the Southeast Texas Record, the Texas Supreme Court has ruled that pastors and members of a Texas church that restrained a teenager against her will for hours and forced her to say "Jesus" were protected by the First Amendment, and not liable for a $300,000 judgment awarded by a jury for her pain and suffering. The Southeast Texas Record reports that the woman, now an adult, is allegedly disabled because of the church-based trauma, and receives Social Security. The majority opinion stated, "the First Amendment does not cease to apply when parishioners disagree over church doctrine or ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Claims County Negligence in Signage Change
The Post-Bulletin reports that a Minnesota man's daughter has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in connection with a sign change that allegedly resulted in the man's death in Wabasha County. The 58-year-old man was fatally injured when a driver didn't stop for a stop sign, barreling into his car. The defendants include the driver of the car that crashed into the plaintiff's car, and the county of Wabasha. The lawsuit claims that the county negligently didn't alert motorists that there was a change in signage at the intersection. According to the Post-Bulletin, damages sought are in excess of $50,000.
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City to Pay Out $550,000 for Faulty Drains in Mudslide Suit
In 2005, a retired nurse was standing in her kitchen stirring a pot of gumbo. It took mere moments for her to be swept off her feet by a massive mudslide that deposited her in a laundry room and trapped her under debris. According to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, she will now be receiving a $550,000 personal injury settlement from the city of Santa Rosa, California, based on her claim that the city's modifications to its storm drain system caused the excess water to flow into her home. The Santa Rose Press Democrat reports that $104 million in property ...<< MORE >>
Settlement Reached in Fatal Dust Storm Crash
The North Platte Telegraph reports that a settlement has been reached in the case of an 8-vehicle crash that took place in Nebraska in 2005. Three people lost their lives in the fiery pileup. Defendants in the case included a rural cattle operation, three trucking companies, and the trucking companies' drivers. The plaintiffs claimed that the cattle ranch neglected to perform erosion control practices that would have prevented thick dust from blowing across the highway, and also neglected to inform Nebraska state highway patrol about a massive dust storm that obscured the vision of the drivers. The wrongful death lawsuit ...<< MORE >>
$2.1 Million Lasik Malpractice Settlement Against Celebrity Physician
Roseland, NJ (July 9, 2006) -- New Jersey medical malpractice lawyer David Mazie of Mazie Slater Katz & Freeman announces what is believed to be the largest settlement of a Lasik malpractice case in New Jersey history (and one of the largest Lasik malpractice settlements in the nation's history*) against famed eye physician Dr. Joseph Dello Russo and the New Jersey Eye Center. The $2.1 million settlement reached in Dell'Ermo v. New Jersey Eye Center and Joseph Dello Russo, M.D., Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Bergen County, Docket No.: L-009074-01, is part of a group of 16 malpractice lawsuits filed against Dr. Dello Russo for negligently performing Lasik. This is the largest settlement of the group, and the only one in which the plaintiff would not agree to maintain confidentiality for the settlement.
The claims were brought by James Dell'Ermo (47 years old) of Bedminster, New Jersey and his wife, Lisa relating to Dello Russo's malpractice in performing Lasik surgery which has rendered Mr. Dell'Ermo legally blind (vision worse than 20/400 without corrective lenses); with contact lenses Mr. Dell'Ermo only has vision of 20/50. Dr. Dello Russo's malpractice relates to his failure to recognize that Mr. Dell'Ermo was not a candidate for Lasik and that he had steep corneas. By performing Lasik on Mr. Dell'Ermo, Dr. Dello Russo caused a condition known as ectasia to occur in Mr. Dell'Ermo's eyes. Ectasia is a progressive condition which will ultimately require Mr. Dell'Ermo to require corneal transplants in both eyes.
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$33.5 Million Lawsuit Filed by Quadraplegic Woman Over Trampoline Injury
According to The Oregonian, a 20-year old Oregon woman whose neck was fractured while bouncing on a trampoline has filed a $33.5 million lawsuit. Defendants in the personal injury lawsuit include the hospital where she was treated, the manufacturer of the trampoline, and a youth pastor who was jumping with her when the incident took place. Her lawsuit alleges that the youth pastor should have known that his weight, significantly greater than her own, would cause her to fly through the air. The woman, who was 17 at the time of the accident, now has quadraplegia and uses a wheelchair. ...<< MORE >>
Rap Artist Eminem Sued for Sucker Punching Fan
According to the Detroit News, a Michigan man who greeted rap artist Eminem in a nightclub men's room received a surprise punch to the face instead of warm hello. Now the man has filed a lawsuit against the singer, alleging that Eminem "without warning or provocation ... drove his fist in a violent punching manner" into his face. The complaint seeks over $25,000 in damages. The Detroit News reports that this isn't Eminem's first go-around as a defendant in a personal injury lawsuit. In the prior incident, Eminem pistol-whipped a man in another Detroit bar for kissing Eminem's ex-wife in ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Claims Headrest Use During Surgery Caused Blindness
The Faribault County Register reports that attorneys are seeking dismissal of a malpractice lawsuit filed by a Wisconsin man claiming that medical negligence during surgery left him permanently blind in one eye. The plaintiff's attorneys allege that improper use of a headrest left their client improperly positioned during an operation on his spine, and that movement of his head resulted in traumatic injury to his eye. But the defendants' attorneys counter that no clear linkage has been demonstrated between the use of the headrest and the ocular injury. According to the Faribault County Register, the presiding judge took the defendant's ...<< MORE >>
Bullet Richochets at Target Range, Cop Files Suit
According to Newsday, a Suffolk County, New York cop has filed a lawsuit against his employers and against the manufacturer of a device used in a target range where he suffered an injury from an errant bullet. The bullet allegedly ricocheted off a turning target used in a close-quarter combat drill, striking the officer in the calf. Newsday reported that another Long Island police department switched to a different target manufacturer after noting similar problems with ricochet bullets. The fragments remain in the police officer's leg because physicians determined that additional nerve damage might result if they were removed. The ...<< MORE >>
Delaware Court Awards Prejudgment Interest to Man Who Died After Hospital Fall
The Delware Supreme Court said that the estate of a man who died after falling in an area hospital is entitled to both a $2 million jury award and prejudgment interest that could amount to another $470,000 or more, according to The Associated Press.
In its opinion, the high court ruled that Matthew Harris, 74, who won a $2 million jury award after being given a sedative in the hospital and then falling out of bed and suffering a fatal head injury, was also entitled to receive prejudgment interest. A lower court had ruled otherwise.
21 Personal Injury and 2 Wrongful Death Suits Already Filed in March 2008 Maritime Accident
The sinking in March 2008 of the Alaska Ranger in the Bering Sea has already spawned 21 personal-injury and 2 wrongful-death lawsuits, according to the Seattle Times.
The Times' Mike Carter reports that the boat's owner, Fishing Company of Alaska, is seeking to invoke a little-used 1851 maritime law that limits the damages faced by the company.
The 189-foot boat had 47 crew members on board and was heading out to fish for mackerel when bad weather forced everyone to abandon ship in 35-degree rough ...<< MORE >>
The Times' Mike Carter reports that the boat's owner, Fishing Company of Alaska, is seeking to invoke a little-used 1851 maritime law that limits the damages faced by the company.
The 189-foot boat had 47 crew members on board and was heading out to fish for mackerel when bad weather forced everyone to abandon ship in 35-degree rough ...<< MORE >>
E. coli Outbreaks Prompts Law Firm to Seek Medial Expenses from Kroger
"Whether the source of the E. coli is the grocery store or its suppliers," said Fred Pritzker, a leading food safety attorney, "it is only fair that the retailer pay for the medical bills of its injured customers. The families deserve that peace of mind." According to Pritzker, other corporations involved in E. coli outbreaks have advanced medical expenses to those injured by their food products. "Corporate responsibility means taking concrete steps to right a wrong," Pritzker said. "It is time for Kroger to step up and guarantee that its customers will not be stuck with hundreds or thousands of dollars in medical bills."
Kauai Helicopter Crash Settlement Reached for $9.5 Million
According to the Portsmouth Herald News, a $9.5 million settlement will be awarded to a New Hampshire couple who incurred serious injuries in a helicopter crash while celebrating their 30th anniversary on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. The crash, which killed another passenger, left the woman paralyzed from the waist down and the man unable to work due to debilitating back injuries.
The plaintiff's attorneys successfully argued that the crash was due to a manufacturing defect causing metal fatigue in the rotor. In the Kauai crash, the tail rotor ...<< MORE >>
The plaintiff's attorneys successfully argued that the crash was due to a manufacturing defect causing metal fatigue in the rotor. In the Kauai crash, the tail rotor ...<< MORE >>
Victoria's Secret Lawsuit Claims Permanent Eye Injury by Thong
According to ABC News, a 52-year-old woman has filed a personal injury lawsuit against lingerie giant Victoria's Secret, alleging that a sexy yet defective pair of panties permanently injured her eye. The plaintiff, employed as a parking enforcer for the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, reportedly received a scratched cornea when a heart-shaped ornament snapped off the thong and hurtled into her eye as she was putting on the underwear. The woman is seeking an unspecified dollar amount in compensation for lost wages. ABC News reports that Victoria's Secret has ...<< MORE >>
School Board Sued for Punishment of Child with Autism
According to the Roanoke Times, a personal injury lawsuit against the Roanoke County School Board claims that when a principal required a student with autism to clean up the bathrooms he had soiled, he caused irreparable injuries. The child allegedly smeared feces in a school bathroom and wrote obscenities on the walls. The principal's demand that the child clean up the restroom messes incited depression and panic attacks, requiring extensive psychotherapy. The principal was suspended in the incident, but later exonerated, according to the Roanoke Times. The lawsuit is seeking $100,000 in << MORE >>
Lawsuit Says Town to Blame for Weight Training Injuries
According to the Worcester Telegram, a former high school football player has filed a personal injury lawsuit against the town of Westboro, Massachusetts, alleging that the town was negligent in allowing him to engage in weight training unsupervised, causing serious injuries. The student, a junior at the time, was lifting 400-weights in the high school weight room with no coach, teacher, or other responsible adult present. The weights slipped, smashing into his face and causing multiple fractures. The Worcester Telegram reports that the town denies the allegations of negligence and ...<< MORE >>
Faulty Maintenance Alleged in Firefighter Death in Restaurant Blaze
According to the Daily News Tribune, the widow of a firefighter who died battling a fire in a West Roxbury, Massachusetts Chinese restaurant has filed a lawsuit against the eatery, along with its cleaning service and building owner. The plaintiff claims that negligent maintenance, including a buildup of grease in a kitchen exhaust pipe, were to blame for the blaze. Two firefighters were killed by the fireball that formed when the restaurant grease combusted. The Daily News Tribune reports that the fire had been smoldering in the ceiling for at least ...<< MORE >>
Fire Death Caused by Improper Apartment Complex Maintenance, Says Lawsuit
According to the Daily Tar Heel, the owners and property management firm of a Carrboro, North Carolina apartment complex are being sued for negligence. The lawsuit alleges that a 2007 fire that killed one woman and injured two others was caused by improper maintenance that caused the fire to spread quickly and impede the tenants' escapes. The lawsuit, filed by the dead woman's son, also claims that fire detectors in the complex were not working properly. The Daily Tar Heel reports that according to the plaintiff's attorney, the landlord failed to ...<< MORE >>
Appeals Court Quashes Slide Injury Lawsuit
According to the Schenectady Daily Gazette, the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court has ruled that the Gloversville, NY school district cannot be held liable for a playground slide mishap that injured a 10-year-old student. The girl plunged 7 feet off the top of the slide, fracturing her collarbone and thigh. In the plaintiff's personal injury lawsuit, attorneys for the student alleged that the district negligently allowed a hazardous condition on the playground by not providing a cushioned area near the slide. However, a 3-member majority of the 5-judge ...<< MORE >>
Survey Says Potential WV Jurors Think Lawsuits Hurt State Economy
45% of 400 West Virginia licensed drivers and voters recently surveyed about economic conditions believe that lawsuits negatively impact the state's economy and employment market, according to the West Virginia Record. The poll was designed to be representative of the West Virginia population in age, gender, race and family income. It was undertaken to help lawyers understand the mindset of potential jurors so that they can better craft their litigation strategies. The West Virginia Record reports that the state has been named as a "judicial hellhole" by the American Tort Reform Association for the past 6 ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Alleges Helicopter Defects
The Southeast Texas Record reports that the pilot of a helicopter that crashed, injuring him and his wife and child, has sued the helicopter manufacturer, Robinson Helicopter Inc. The personal injury lawsuit alleges that the helicopter was "unreasonably and dangerously defective." Specifically, the lawsuit claims that the carburetor's heat control feature failed to work as it should have. The carburetor reportedly iced over, causing a power loss and subsequent plunge from the sky. According to the Southeast Texas Record, damages are being sought for medical care, << MORE >>
Tugboat Company Not Involved in Bridge Collapse, Judge Rules
According to the Biloxi Sun Herald, a tugboat company named as a defendant in a personal injury lawsuit stemming from a bridge collapse has been dropped from the case. In 2007, a bridge that was under construction collapsed into Mississippi's Bay St. Louis. Two workers died in the incident, and others were injured when they plunged 50 feet into the bay. The lawsuit claimed that a tugboat had crashed into a support column, weakening the structure. The boat company contested the claim, and the judge concurred and dropped it from the case. ...<< MORE >>
Hip-Hop Artist Sues San Mateo Police for Shootout Injuries
An international hip-hop artist has filed a lawsuit against the San Mateo, California police for "negligently and recklessly" shooting him when they were apprehending a robbery suspect, according to the San Mateo Daily News. Police originally claimed that the Sean Moran, known professionally as DJ Flare, had been shot by the robbery suspect when the suspect ran into an office building and fired his handgun. Moran was waiting for an appointment when he was hit by the bullet. A later investigation showed that the bullet that struck Moran was from one of the ...<< MORE >>
Playtex Target of Baby Bottle Lawsuit
The Washington Post reports that Playtex Products of Westport, Connecticut is the target of a federal lawsuit filed by an Arkansas woman claiming that the manufacturer's baby bottles are made with an industrial chemical harmful to infants. The chemical, bisphenol A, was the subject of a report by the National Toxicology Program last month concluding that animal studies linking it to behavioral changes, early puberty, and pre-cancerous changes in the breast and prostate provided evidence of "some concern" about harm to humans. According to the Washington Post, a Playtex spokesperson insisted that the chemical had been deemed ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Planned Against Student Health Center
A student whose arm was amputated after her complaints were misdiagnosed as "muscle strain" and "anxiety" is to be a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the student health center at Ohio University, reports The Post, the Ohio University newspaper. The freshman was found to have necrotizing fasciitis, a rare bacterial infection that kills one-third of its victims. Her concerned father took her to the emergency room after her symptoms worsened, and her arm was amputated that night. Student health center physicians had declined to send her to an emergency room, even though she requested it. According ...<< MORE >>
Waikiki to Appeal $3.6 Million Judgment for Slip and Fall
The Honolulu Star reports that the city of Waikiki, Hawaii is appealing a $3.6 million judgment awarded to a woman who broke her foot on an uneven sidewalk. The incident occurred in 2002, when the 49-year-old California woman tripped as she sought to avoid a bicyclist careening down the sidewalk. Her fall fractured a bone above the toe, and she received ligament and nerve damage. According to the Star, she has undergone 12 surgeries. Two more are required. An expert medical witness for Waikiki claimed that the woman's lingering injuries resulted from << MORE >>
Teen Shot By Police Receives $100,000 Payout
A teenager paralyzed after being shot in the neck by police is receiving a $100,000 settlement from the city of Oakland, California, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The police officer who shot the 19-year-old had been involved in two fatal shootings prior to the incident. The teenager is now paralyzed. The plantiff's attorney claims that his client was wielding a shotgun, but dropped it as instructed prior to being shot by the officer, now a sergeant on the force. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the teenager's medical expenses have already exceeded $2.7 ...<< MORE >>
City Settles Bike Crash Case for $15 Million
A $15 million settlement has been reached between the city of Hanford, California, and the family of a teenager who was seriously injured in a traffic accident, according to the Fresno Bee. The plaintiffs charged in the personal injury lawsuit that the city negligently failed to install traffic signals, crosswalks, and signage at a busy intersection that had received repeated complaints. The 14-year-old victim was struck by a car when he was riding his bicycle. The boy suffered serious brain injuries that left him with the verbal abilities of a 6-year-old. He will require ...<< MORE >>
Inmate Sues Town for Police Dog Bites
According to the Hartford Courant, a 65-year-old Hartford, Connecticut man is suing the town of Hartford for police dog bites he suffered while being arrested for attempted murder. The man had two prior murder convictions in other, unreleated cases. The Hartford Courant reports that police were summoned to the man's house after the man threated to kill his wife, daughter, and daughter's boyfriend with a knife. Police claim that they unleashed the police dog on the man after he refused to comply with orders to get on the ground. After the dog bit the man on the leg, ...<< MORE >>
$24 Million Sought in Daughters' Deaths in Police Car Collision
The Belleville News-Democrat reports that the mother of two girls killed when a state trooper smashed into their car has filed a $24 million wrongful death lawsuit against the state of Illinois and the Illinois State Police. The officer was on his way to investigate another vehicle accident when his police-issued Chevrolet Impala swerved across the median on an Illinois interstate. The trooper faced criminal charges in the crash, pleading not guilty to vehicular homicide. The lawsuit is seeking $12 million for each death. The girls were 13 and 18 when they ...<< MORE >>
Bereaved Dad Sues Chrysler, Sets Up Non-Profit for Van Safety
The father of a 10-year-old child who died after being ejected from a 15-passenger van despite her proper seat belt use has formed a non-profit to raise awareness about the van's dangers, according to the Knoxville News-Sentinel. The Knoxville man successfully convinced the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a resolution calling attention to the known risks associated with the large vans, which have a higher probability of rollover than other vehicles. Federal hearings are scheduled for later this year to investigate safety allegations around the vans. The father has filed a ...<< MORE >>
HVAC Product Killed Trucker, Lawsuit Alleges
The Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that a trucker has sued the Knoxville, Tennessee-based manufacturer of a product intended to clear truck cabs of carbon monoxide. The trucker's $18 million wrongful death lawsuit alleges that the HVAC product was defective and instead sucked carbon monoxide from nearby idling trucks into their cab, killing her husband and causing her permanent and debilitating injuries. The married couple worked as long-distance haulers, typically sleeping in their truck cab. According to the News-Sentinel, the HVAC manufacturer declared bankruptcy in May, citing the potential multi-million award as a << MORE >>
McDonald's Should Have Prevented Shooting, According to Lawsuit
According to the Stuart News, a Port Lucie, Florida man has sued McDonald's, alleging that lax security contributed to his shooting at one of their restaurants. The 59-year-old man had purchased food and was eating it in his vehicle when he was confronted by a 19-year-old who attempted to rob him. The two men struggled and the assailant's gun went off, firing a bullet into the restaurant patron's head. The man suffered a severe brain injury that has left him with speech and motor problems. The Stuart News reports that the assailant was sentenced to life ...<< MORE >>
Florida Supreme Court to Weigh Release Forms for Minors' Risky Activities
According to the Stuart News, Florida's Supreme Court will soon be hearing a case weighing whether the waivers signed by parents releasing companies from liability for their children's risky activities are valid. The case is being brought to the court by the family of a teenager who died while driving an ATV at a motorcross park. The father of the 14-year-old had signed a waiver at the park unbeknownst to his ex-wife, the boy's mother. The mother filed a lawsuit alleging that the motorcross park was negligent in the boy's death, but ...<< MORE >>
Bar Reaches Settlement With "Habitual Drunkard" Over Car Crash
According to the Palm Beach Post, a 30-year-old man described by his own lawyers as a "habitual drunkard" received a settlement from a Boynton Beach, Florida bar. He allegedly left the bar while visibly intoxicated and smashed his car, injuring three passengers. The passengers have filed a separate lawsuit against the bar. The defendant was convicted of a felony DUI in the case, and served two years in prison. He ran a red light at a busy intersection and collided with another car. The Palm Beach Post reports that his passengers ...<< MORE >>
Mother Sues Department of Children and Families in Son's Death
The mother of a 7-year-old boy who died after his father allegedly inflicted blunt force trauma to his head has sued Florida's Department of Children and Families, according to the Miami Herald. Custody had been awarded to the father after a prolonged dispute. The father of the child had accused the mother of neglect. The wrongful death lawsuit alleges negligence by the department and its contractors, claiming that child abuse allegations against the father did not receive proper follow-up. The Miami Herald reports that the Broward County sheriff's office is currently investigating the case. ...<< MORE >>
Pennsylvania Recycling Firm Sued in Fatal Truck Accident
The Centre Daily Times reports that a Pennsylvania recycling firm, along with one of its employees, is being sued by victims of an accident in which one of the firm's trucks lost its brakes and crashed into a commercial garage. The crash killed a 59-year-old man, destroyed the garage, and, according to the lawsuit, caused the owner of the garage severe emotional and physical injuries. Police accused the driver of the truck of incorrectly applying his brakes instead of downshifting when traveling down Pennsylvania's Pine Grove Mountain. According ...<< MORE >>
Lost Tumor Nets Plaintiff $275,000, but Attorney Charges Clinic With Stalling
The Riverside Press-Enterprise reports that an attorney is claiming that a Riverside, California medical clinic is cynically waiting for her 69-year-old client to die rather than pay a $275,000 personal injury judgment awarded for the mishandling of her cancerous tissue sample. The woman is dying of melanoma which went undiagnosed for three years, even though she had a tumor on her foot that was deemed suspicious enough to biopsy. The woman's medical records indicated that the tumor was lost in transit to the lab that was to analyze it. The defendant's attorneys ...<< MORE >>
Jury Finds for Plaintiff in Case Against Seattle Police
A 22-year old Seattle man has received a favorable jury verdict in a lawsuit against the Seattle Police Department, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. A jury awarded the man $268,000 in damages for a 2006 incident in which officers made a false and unlawful arrest and used excessive force when arresting and jailing the man on charges of obstruction and resisting arrest. The verdict defied the odds. Seattle had not lost a police misconduct lawsuit in over ten years. Prior to the incident, the plaintiff had been ...<< MORE >>
Actor Dennis Quaid Testifies Against Pharma Immunity
Actor Dennis Quaid lent his support on Capitol Hill to Democrats seeking to derail a plan to provide pharma companies immunity from lawsuits, according to the Baltimore Sun. Quaid's infants were involved in a high-profile medication mishap when they received an overdose of heparin, a blood thinner, at a Los Angeles hospital. The heparin had been mislabeled. The Supreme Court is expected to hear a case this fall that could exempt drug makers purveying FDA-approved drugs. Quaid's testimony took place at a House Committee hearing, according to the Baltimore Sun. The babies have ...<< MORE >>
Settlement Reached in Wisconsin Resort Fire
A $21 million settlement has been reached in the case of a couple who burned to death at a Wisconsin resort, reports the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Defendants in the lawsuit included the resort where the incident took place, construction companies involved in electrical work that preceded the explosion, a utility, and their insurance companies. The settlement is being split among the couple's three children. The couple was vacationing with their children and other family members in July 2006 when an early morning explosion rocked their cottage. Other family members managed to ...<< MORE >>
Boy Pitcher Suffers Brain Damage in Baseball Game; Manufacturer Sued
The family of a 12-year-old pitcher who was brain-damaged when he was struck in the chest with a baseball has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer who made the metal bat involved in the incident, reports the New York Daily News. The line drive stopped the young athlete's heart, leaving his brain deprived of oxygen for 15 to 20 minutes. Other defendants include the sporting goods store that sold the bat and the Little League Baseball organization. According to the Daily News, the incident took place during a Police Athletic League game, not a ...<< MORE >>
Well-Known Dallas Personal Injury Attorney is Himself in a Serious Fire Truck-Car Accident
Brian Loncar, a well-known Dallas personal injury attorney who refers to himself in advertisements as the "Strong Arm," has been seriously injured when the 2008 Bentley that he was driving was hit by a fire truck that was racing toward a service call.
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Loncar, 47, was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital and said to be in critical condition, according to Tanya Eiserer, writing in The Dallas Morning News.
The paper reports that the force of the accident pushed Loncar's Bentley through the intersection where the fire truck hit the car and into a third vehicle carrying a woman and three children.
A Dallas police officer told Eiserer that the accident is under investigation, but since the fire truck had both its lights and siren on, Loncar will likely be charged with failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. In an ironic twist, the prominent lawyer himself could become the defendant in a wrongful injury lawsuit.
As the paper notes, Loncar is "one of the state's most prominent personal injury attorneys," adding that his advertising often includes the slogan, "When you're hurt in a car wreck, you need someone on your side." His commercials promise to help those injured "due to the negligence or misconduct of another person."
Injured Firefighter Gets $1.8 Million Payout from Seattle
According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, a firefighter who was severely injured in a mishap during a training procedure is receiving a $1.8 million payout from the city of Seattle, following a state Supreme Court ruling in the firefighter's favor. The firefighter's lawsuit alleged that the city was negligent in that it didn't provide adequate water breaks during the training, which took place in hot summer weather. The firefighter, currently working as a dispatcher with the Seattle fire department, was hurt when he passed out and fell off a ladder due to heat ...<< MORE >>
Men Injured in Auto Race Mishap File $150,000 Lawsuit
According to the Journal-Courier, two Sangamon County, Florida men who were hit by an out-of-control sprint car while attending an auto race in Jacksonville have filed lawsuits against the speedway's promoters and against Morgan County, Florida, the municipality which putatively owns the race track. The Journal-Courier reports that the men are asking for $150,000 for severe and permanent injuries causing both economic and non-economic damage. The lawsuit claims that the defendants were negligent in not providing a fence protecting spectators and participants in the pit area.
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Former Supreme Court Nominee Settles Lawsuit With Yale Club
According to the Yale Daily News, Robert Bork, former Supreme Court nominee and fervent supporter of tort reform, has settled a $1 million lawsuit with a Yale University alumni club for injuries incurred when he fell while mounting a dais. Bork's complaint alleged that the University was negligent in not providing a handrail or stairs. Bork was formerly a Yale law professor. Another Yale professor observed that the lawsuit was evidence of Bork's resentment at not being supported by a number of former colleagues in his bid for the high court. The ...<< MORE >>
Dog Poop Ruins Aquarium Trip; Mom Seeks Damages
The Connecticut Post reports that a New York woman filed a claim against the city of Norwalk, Connecticut, alleging that a pair of shoes, along with the family outing, were ruined by her daughter's misstep into a pile of dog poop outside the garage of the Maritime Aquarium. The woman has requested a total of $100 in damages. She wants $54 from the city to compensate for the 1-year-old child's shoes, along with compensation for parking and admissions fees. According to the Connecticut Post, the Norwalk city attorney denied the claim, quipping that "poop ...<< MORE >>
Insulin Pump Injuries Among Teenagers Rising, FDA Concludes
According to the Associated Press, the Food and Drug Administration has released a report concluding that insulin pumps have led to increasing deaths and injuries among teenage users. The FDA study reviewed 10 years of data and concluded that although device malfunction was sometimes to blame, the bigger problem was non-compliance from careless and risk-taking teens. 15,000 injuries and 13 deaths were linked to the devices, which are used to control type 1 diabetes. Teens who were injured by the pumps reportedly weren't versed in proper use of the devices, dropped them, or didn't take proper ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Reform Group Claims Texas Economic Benefits
According to the The Monitor, a study commissioned by Texas for Lawsuit Reform has concluded that the Texas economy has been measurably improved by limits on legal damages legislated in 1995. The report claims that tort reform mandates are responsible for creating 500,000 new jobs, freeing up $2.6 billion in state resources, and pumping an additional $113 billion into the economy. Plaintiffs' advocates disagree with the findings, however, claiming that the study's methodology is flawed, and that tort reform has inhibited the ability of victims of corporate negligence to find ...<< MORE >>
Senior Citizen Blamed for Injuries by EMT Responder
The News-Press reports that a Lake County, Florida firefighter EMT who was responding to a call for help at an 84-year-old woman's home has filed a lawsuit against the woman for injuries allegedly suffered in the process. The front wheel of the fire truck the EMT was riding in allegedly broke through a septic tank lid. The EMT claims that the elderly woman is responsible for the back and neck injuries she suffered in the mishap. According to the News-Press, the EMT is seeking $15,000 in damages.
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Appeal Filed with Ohio Supreme Court in $2 Billion Boy Scout Suit
The Vinton Courier reports that a woman has filed an appeal with the Ohio Supreme Court, alleging that the Boy Scouts of American are responsible for a traumatic brain injury she claims to have suffered while serving as a Boy Scout leader. Her filing was in response to a dismissal of the case by the Ohio Fourth District Court of Appeals, which ruled that the statute of limitations had expired at the time of her lawsuit. Her injury allegedly occurred in 2002, when she fell and hit her head while ...<< MORE >>
Patient Commits Suicide Post-Surgery; Anesthesiologist Sued for Wrongful Death
The Beckley Register-Herald reports that the family of a Baptist minister who committed suicide two weeks after his anesthesia was botched during surgery has settled a wrongful death lawsuit with the anesthesiologist. The West Virginia man reportedly remained awake and aware for 16 minutes of an operation which included the removal of his gallbladder. The anesthesiologist had administered a paralytic agent which rendered the man incapable of moving or communicating, but failed to administer the anesthesia that would have allowed him to sleep through the operation. The minister exhibited psychiatric symptoms including sleeplessness and fear of ...<< MORE >>
Brain-Injured Man Receives $5.1 Million Settlement for Unmonitored Sedation
The San Francisco Examiner reports that a settlement of $5.1 million has been reached in the case of a man who was brain-injured after suffering cardiorespiratory failure as a result of improper sedation at San Francisco General Hospital. The man, 40-years-old at the time of the 2005 incident, presented to the emergency room with fever and cough. He received a diagnosis of renal failure and was given repeated doses of sedatives that allegedly were unmonitored. According to the San Francisco Examiner, the man now requires around-the-clock care.
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Singer and Son Must Pay $1.3 Million for Wrongful Death of Young Rapper
According to the Newark Star-Ledger, the family of a 17-year-old aspiring rapper is entitled to a $1.3 million payout for wrongful death and negligence from vocalist Chaka Khan and her son. The teenager was allegedly shot by Chaka Khan's son in a dispute about a romantic triangle while he was a guest at Chaka Khan's home. Chaka Khan's son was acquitted of murder charges in 2006, according to the Star-Ledger. Neither Khan nor her son responded to the lawsuit, and the order was issued as a default judgment.
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Supplier of Contaminated Blood Thinner Sued for Wrongful Death
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, health care supplier Covidien has been sued for wrongful death by the estate of a man who died after being treated with tainted heparin. Heparin is the blood thinner that was recalled late last year after it was discovered that an ingredient used in the drug had been contaminated by an OTC dietary supplement wrongly added by a manufacturing plant in Changzou, China. The Missouri victim had allegedly never been contacted with a recall notice or warnings about possible problems with the medication. Suppliers other than Covidien had already begun their ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Claims School Negligence in Death of 7-Year-Old
The Las Cruces Sun-Times reports that a New Mexico school system has been sued in the death of a 7-year-old student who died after participating in a class physical activity, even though she'd been sent to school with a note asking her to be excused from physical education. The girl got sick at class and vomited, but was allowed to continue with class. She had a known congenital cardiac condition. The lawsuit also claimed that the school initially called the wrong parents and was negligent in quickly obtaining emergency medical services. According to the ...<< MORE >>
Smithsonian Exec Immune from Injury Lawsuit, Judge Rules
The Washington Post reports that a federal judge has ruled that a high-ranking executive at Washington's Smithsonian Institution indeed assaulted a Smithsonian janitor, but is immune from injury lawsuits. The U.S. District jurist ruled that the executive couldn't be sued owing to a federal law intending to shield certain federal employees from injury claims. The lawsuit alleged that the senior Smithsonian manager violently yanked a lanyard that was around the janitor's neck, shoved her head against a wall, and slammed her up against a door. According to the ...<< MORE >>
McDonald's Sued for Negligence in Toilet Paper Dispenser Mishap
The Youngstown Vindicator that a lawsuit has been filed against McDonald's and one of its local operators in an incident involving a tumbling toilet paper dispenser. Over $25,000 in damages are being sought for head, eye, and neck injuries suffered by a Courtland, Ohio man who was hit by the dispenser, which loosened from the wall while the man was sitting on the toilet. According to the Youngstown Vindicator, the lawsuit accuses the restaurant company of negligent maintenance. The manufacturer of the toilet paper dispenser is also named as a ...<< MORE >>
Nurse Suggests "More Lethal Method" for Suicide; Hospital Sued
According to the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, an Iowa hospital is being sued by a woman who alleges that a nurse suggested that she choose a "more lethal method" for any future suicide attempt. The nurse later wrote to the woman and apologized for her remarks. The incident happened following the woman's fourth suicide try, reports the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald. The nurse had also commented that she hated people being a "drain on society." The lawsuit claims that the nurse's comments exacerbated the patient's depression.
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Hospice Sued; Morphine Overdosages Alleged
The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports that a lawsuit will be filed against a Tupelo, Mississippi hospice in the deaths of 4 patients allegedly given lethal doses of morphine. According to the Daily Journal, the state attorney general has handed down misdemeanor charges against two hospice staff in the case. The defense claims that chart reviews show that the care received by patients was in alignment with standard medical practice, but the plaintiff's attorney says that some patients were given 67,000 micro-units of morphine, as opposed to the typical dosage of 100-200 micro-units per day.
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Punitive Damages Dropped from Meningitis Misdiagnosis Lawsuit
A lawsuit filed in the meningitis death of a University of Pennsylvania sophomore has been amended and punitive damages charges have been dropped in response to objections raised by the defense, according to the Daily Pennsylvanian. The Daily Pennsylvanian reported that an expert attorney unconnected with the case opined that punitive damages are notoriously difficult to win in medical malpractice cases, because they imply that deliberate harm was inflicted. The lawsuit, filed by the victim's brother, alleges negligence, wrongful death and negligent ...<< MORE >>
Doctor Blamed for Death of Mother, Infant
The Daily Press reports that an emergency room physician is being blamed in a lawsuit for the death of a Virginia woman who, following her lapse into an irreversible coma, was artificially kept on life support long enough to deliver her baby. The infant was prematurely delivered, weighing less than two pounds, but she died at the age of 5 weeks. The lawsuit alleges that the death of the baby was also the doctor's fault. Court filings allege that the doctor misdiagnosed the mother's symptoms as mere morning sickness when she presented ...<< MORE >>
Orthopod Removed Pins Too Early, Lawsuit Alleges
The St. Clair Record reports that a Wisconsin orthopedist and his medical practice are being sued by a former patient who alleges that his wrist fracture was improperly treated. Court papers say that pins placed in the wrist during surgery were negligently removed after only two weeks, and that the fracture didn't heal properly as a result. The plaintiff alleges that the surgeon's negligence caused him to undergo additional surgeries and to suffer nerve dysfunction. According to the St. Clair Record, the victim's wife is claiming loss of consortium. The lawsuit asks ...<< MORE >>
School District Sued in School Bus Traffic Mishap
According to the Albany Times-Union, a trial has begun in a lawsuit filed against a New York school district, alleging negligence in a 2005 traffic accident that injured a teenage girl. The lawsuit alleges that a school bus driver let students out at an unauthorized stop on a busy turnpike, instead of at the designated school bus stop on a side street. The girl was struck by a car as she attempted to cross the street. The Times-Union reports that two drivers involved in the collision have also been named as defendants. << MORE >>
School, Student, and Assailant Sued by Teen Injured in School Shooting
The Oregonian reports that a teenager shot in the back in a 2006 school incident has filed a lawsuit against his assailant, the school district, and an additional student who still attends the high school where the incident took place. The teenage boy, now 18, is seeking $600,000 in damages. He reportedly suffered nerve damage to his foot as a result of the attack. According to the Oregonian, the assault was partially motivated by a disagreement over female attention. The additional student named as a defendant allegedly helped the assailant procure the ...<< MORE >>
Red Wings Limo Accident Trial to Begin
The Detroit Free Press reported that a lawsuit against an Ohio car dealership involving former Detroit Red Wings player Vladimir Konstantinov is scheduled to proceed in federal court. The former defenseman and his masseur were seriously injured in 1997, when the driver of the athlete's limousine nodded off at the wheel. The vehicle involved was a Lincoln Town Car that had been stretched into a limousine, according to the Detroit Free Press. In the process of altering the car, the seat belts were left inaccessible. Attorneys for the two men contend that the Ford ...<< MORE >>
Carrot Ruptures Eyeball; Husband Sued
Carrots are usually considered good for the eyes, but a Connecticut woman would undoubtedly disagree. The Connecticut Post reports that a Monroe, Connecticut woman has filed a personal injury lawsuit against her husband for throwing a carrot at her during an argument. The errant carrot ruptured her eyeball, causing it to be removed and replaced with a glass eye. According to the Connecticut Post, the husband was arrested but the wife failed to cooperate with prosecutors, claiming at the time that the incident was accidental. The woman and her husband still share the same home.
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White Supremacist Sued in Bar Assault
A white supremacist who sucker-punched an African-American man outside a bar is being sued, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune. The bar where the incident took place is also a defendant in the personal injury lawsuit. The victim's attorney is seeking millions of dollars to cover the man's ongoing medical expenses. The victim's injuries have reportedly left him paralyzed and cognitively disabled. According to the Union-Tribune, the 40-year-old perpetrator took off his shirt and displayed a swastika tattoo following the assault. He was sentenced to 17 years in prison for battery.
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Jury Rejects Arguments in Rectal Exam Case
The New York Daily News reports that a jury has rejected a construction worker's argument that a rectal exam he unwillingly underwent at a hospital emergency room was tantamount to assault and battery. The 38-year-old man was hit in the head with a 40-pound piece of wood while working at a construction site, and was brought to New York Presbyterian Hospital. Attorneys for the hospital and for a physician also named as a defendant in the lawsuit successfully argued that rectal exams are a standard and necessary procedure in examining patients with possible spinal injuries. According ...<< MORE >>
"Baseball Rule" Upheld by State Supreme Court, Stadiums Shielded from Foul Ball Lawsuits
The Review-Journal reports on a Nevada Supreme Court decision that upholds the "baseball rule," a rule in which stadium owners are broadly shielded from lawsuits by fans injured by foul balls. The case involved a woman who was in the Cashman Field beer garden during a Las Vegas 51's game. A foul ball hit her, breaking her nose and lacerating her face. The stadium's lawyers argued that the "baseball rule" shielded them from liability from any lawsuits caused by foul balls. The plaintiff's attorneys unsuccessfully argued that the liability shield only applied ...<< MORE >>
Settlement Reached By Rugby Team Members, Student's Family
According to the Duluth News Tribune, a $150,000 settlement has been reached between 3 members of a University of Minnesota rugby team and the family of an engineering student who died of exposure after the team members provided him with alcohol. The Duluth News Tribune reported that the incident took place in 2001. The young man, who was not of legal drinking age, became inebriated and fell into a creek while walking home from a party where he had participated in a team initiation ritual. The University of Minnesota had also been listed as a defendant ...<< MORE >>
Grandparents Sued in Death of Child by Fire
A Wisconsin man and his wife have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the man's own parents in the death of their young son, reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Their five-year-old child was killed in a fire that broke out at his grandparents' house. The grandfather suffered serious burns in the fire, while the grandmother escaped unharmed. According to the Star Tribune, the lawsuit alleges that the grandparents were negligent in extinguishing the fire improperly and in failing to save the child, who was asleep in an upstairs bedroom.
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Mother of Murder Victim Claims Sheriff's Office Negligent
An Ohio woman whose 34-year-old daughter was murdered by an estranged lover is suing the county sheriff's office for negligence, according to the Columbus Dispatch. The incident took place in 1998, when a police officer knocked on the woman's door after being summoned by a 911 dispatcher. The officer left when nobody answered, but within the home, the woman was being strangled. The dispatcher neglected to tell the police officer that the woman's three calls to 911 included screams, sounds of the woman being struck, and the sound of a phone being ripped from the wall. According to ...<< MORE >>
Illinois Man Beaten While in Custody, Files Lawsuit
According to the Herald News, an Illinois man has filed a lawsuit against four deputies, a sheriff, and a jail warden, alleging that he was severely beaten by the deputies while in custody on a traffic warrant. The man told the Herald News, "I was beaten unconscious and woke up in my own blood." The man claims that the attack was precipitated by his request for breakfast. His injuries reportedly include a torn rotator cuff, a knee injury, and a ruptured eardrum. The injured man's attorney, who is also representing at least two others claiming beatings ...<< MORE >>
Sacramento Bee Investigates Nail Guns
An investigative report by the Sacramento Bee examined the explosive growth in nail gun injuries, charging that the popular construction tool leads to over 100 emergency room visits daily nationwide. Despite the risks, the guns remain largely unregulated, according to the Sacramento Bee. The firing efficiency of newer nail gun models allows people to work faster, adding to their appeal. They feature a "contact trip" feature, which allows for the automatic firing of the gun whenever it makes contact with a surface. An attorney who won a 2007 $3.4 million jury verdict for a man who ...<< MORE >>
Rapper, Record Label Sued in Shooting Incident
A 2006 shooting that took place at a Gainesville, Florida nightclub is the focus of a lawsuit filed by 5 concert goers who were injured in the incident, reports the Gainesville Sun. That evening's performer, a rapper whose stage name is Plies, his record label, and the concert venue are all named as defendants in the lawsuit. Police reports indicate that members of the rapper's entourage drew their guns and fired shortly before the club was set to close. Plies was arrested in the incident and charged with possession of a concealed weapon, but ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Alleges Open Heart Surgery Was Unnecessary
The Veterans Administration Medical Center in Iowa City has been sued by a former Marine who claims he underwent unnecessary open heart surgery, according to the Iowa City Press-Citizen. The 44-year-old plaintiff, who allegedly was told he only had eight months to live, was operated on in 1999. Physicians at the Mayo Clinic later informed him that the diagnosis he had received was incorrect and that he had not required open heart surgery. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that the man is seeking $12 million in damages.
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Lawsuit Claims Officer Violated Pursuit Policy
The Jackson Clarion-Ledger reports that civil trial proceedings have begun in the case of a 53-year-old Texas woman who was killed in a 2001 crash purportedly caused by a police officer's pursuit of a teen driver. According to the Clarion-Ledger, the plaintiffs also include two women injured in the collision. Lawsuit papers contend that the victims' car collided with the vehicle of the then 16-year-old driver who was fleeing the police officer after running a stop light. Plaintiff's attorneys are arguing that giving chase in a residential area ...<< MORE >>
Customer Sues Strip Club Over Injured Eye
An Illinois fully-nude strip club has been sued by a customer claiming that a drunken bartender injured his eye, reports the Northwest Herald. The 40-year-old plaintiff is seeking damages from the bartender and the club owners for an incident in which the bartender allegedly threw ice at the man, tearing open his cornea and prompting an emergency trip to the hospital. Court papers say that the bartender was drinking alcohol she'd both poured for herself and been given by other customers. The lawsuit is seeking over $50,000 in damages, according to the ...<< MORE >>
Trial Begins in Emergency C-Section Case
The Billings Gazette reports that a trial has begun in the case of a Montana baby who suffered a brain injury when hospital staff allegedly neglected to page an anesthesiologist in a timely manner. The baby has a twin, who was born without complications. However, after the first baby was delivered, staff noted that the 2nd twin had the umbilical cord wrapped around its neck, and requested that the anesthesiologist be paged for an emergency c-section. The anesthesiologist was not paged until 29 minutes later. The obstetrician attempted to perform the c-section with local anesthesia only while awaiting ...<< MORE >>
Family of Transplant Recipient Files Lawsuit; Says Lungs Had Cancer
The estate of a New Jersey man who died of lung cancer after receiving a lung transplant has filed a lawsuit against Lancaster General Hospital, according to the Intelligencer Journal. The lawsuit contends that the family of the recipient, who had suffered from a chronic pulmonary disease, was erroneously informed that the donor of the lungs was a teenage boy. Instead, the lungs came from a 31-year-old pack-a-day smoker. The lawsuit also alleges that the cancer was originally misdiagnosed. The Intelligencer Journal reported that over $100 million are being sought in damages. ...<< MORE >>
Wal-Mart Reverses Efforts to Claim Injured Woman's Award
Forbes has reported that Wal-Mart has changed its mind about claiming the money won in a lawsuit by a worker who was injured in a vehicle accident. The worker, a former shelf stocker, had received over $400,000 in insurance benefits for her injuries, but was also awarded a verdict from the trucking company found to be responsible for her brain injury. Wal-Mart had been criticized by many news outlets for attempting to collect the settlement. Wal-Mart's decision to claim the funds had been upheld by a federal appeals ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Alleges Ford Focus Defective
According to the Southeast Texas Record, a lawsuit has been filed against Ford Motor Company alleging that the 2003 Ford Focus SE is not "reasonably crashworthy and not reasonably fit for unintended by foreseeable accidents." The plaintiff, a Tyler, Texas resident, also claims that her seatbelt should have protected her from injury. The woman was driving northbound on a Texas highway when her Focus was hit by another vehicle. The Southeast Texas Record reports that she is seeking damages in excess of $75,000.
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Injured Railroad Worker Receives $1.2 Million for Spinal Injury
The Bilings Gazette reports that a 52-year-old railroad worker has been awarded a $1.2 million verdict from his former employer, BNSF Railway. The former engineer, who received a spinal injury after 30 years on the job, was awarded $840,000 in lost wages and $360,000 for pain and suffering. His lawsuit argued that BNSF was in violation of the federal Locomotive Inspection Act. According to the Billings Gazette, the jury found for the plaintiff following a two-week trial in Yellowstone County District Court, ...<< MORE >>
Model-to-be Sues Victoria's Secret Over Defective Bra
According to the Greenville News, a Greenville, South Carolina woman has filed a personal injury lawsuit against lingerie company Victoria's Secret, alleging she was injured by a "negligently and carelessly designed bra." The lawsuit claims that the woman, an aspiring model, received a laceration that was 3 inches by 1/4 inch deep, resulting in scarring. It also claims that the woman felt discomfort in her breast and was cut by a wire when the bra "malfunctioned" as she attempted to remove it. The Greenville News reports that Victoria's Secret's attorneys answered that ...<< MORE >>
Woman Burned in Sugar Plant Explosion Files Lawsuit
A worker who was severely burned in an explosion at an Imperial Sugar processing plant has filed a lawsuit, according to the Savannah Morning News. 13 people died in the explosion and resulting fire when sugar dust combusted at the plant in February 2008. 10 workers remain hospitalied. The woman's lawsuit alleges that the contractor hired to clean up sugar dust at the plant was negligent in performing its duties. A smaller sugar dust explosion in which nobody was injured took place at the plant only a few weeks before, yet housekeeping activities were ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Against Six Flags Alleges Defective Ride, Operator Error
An Oklahoma woman has filed a personal injury lawsuit against Six Flags Over Texas, alleging that her back injuries were caused by a "defective and unreasonably dangerous" amusement park ride compounded by operator error, according to the Star-Telegram. The lawsuit stems from an incident when the Texas Tornado, a ride with swinging seats, malfunctioned and abruptly lowered riders to the ground. Nine people received injuries in the 2006 accident, primarily to the back and neck. The Star-Telegram reports that the woman's attorney stated that the woman is able ...<< MORE >>
Mom Files Lawsuit in Child Endangerment Incident; Says Daughter Remained in Clear View
A Chicago-area mother who was charged with child endangerment and obstructing a police officer for leaving her sleeping 2-year-old in the car has filed a lawsuit against the Crestwood police department, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The woman reportedly was only 10 yards away when she walked her other children to a Salvation Army kettle so that they could make a donation. The woman was handcuffed and placed in a squad car as she walked back to the car. She insists that her daughter remained within her clear view the whole time. The Sun-Times reports that her<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Filed Against Hulk Hogan; Wrestler Blamed for Son's Crash
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports that Florida man who was hurt in a car crash involving Hulk Hogan's son has filed a personal injury lawsuit against the wrestler and his estranged wife, claiming that as parents, they are liable. Hogan's 17-year-old son was driving a Toyota Supra when he crashed into a tree in Clearwater, Florida, seriously injuring his passenger. The passenger, an Iraq veteran, will need lifetime care. According to the Post-Intelligencer, Hogan's son has been criminally charged in the incident with reckless driving.
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Eli Lilly Reaches Agreement with Alaska Over Schizophrenia Drug
The New York Times reported that Eli Lilly has reached a $15 million settlement with the state of Alaska over its schizophrenia drug, Zyprexa. Zyprexa, an anti-psychotic drug that calms the hallucinations and delusions symptomatic of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, has been linked to severe weight gain, cholesterol problems, and diabetes. The state's decision to settle the lawsuit was partially driven by a pending Supreme Court case in which pharma giant Wyeth is claiming that federal law prohibits lawsuits in state courts that stem from patient injury by FDA-approved drugs. According to ...<< MORE >>
Jury Clears School District of Negligence in Pitcher's Injuries
A Washington jury has cleared a school district of negligence in a lawsuit that claimed that a former star high school pitched too many games over a short span, reports the Seattle Times. The pitcher, now 24 years old, alleged that injuries to his shoulder and elbow were caused by having thrown 425 pitches over a 16-day span. The defense successfully argued that the coach abided by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association rules that were in place at the time, and pointed out that the dangers of high pitch counts were not then known. ...<< MORE >>
Intersection Defective; Lawsuit Settled in Street Crossing Death
According to the Gilroy Dispatch, the city of Gilroy, California has settled a wrongful death lawsuit in connection with the death of a 5-year-old boy who was killed by a motorist while riding a scooter across the street. The lawsuit blamed the city for a "dangerous and defective" intersection that lacked a left-turn signal. The woman who was driving the truck that struck the young boy was criminally convicted and was sentenced to community service and probation, but no jail time. The child's family is receiving a settlement of $130,000. The Gilroy ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Settled in You Tube Tasering
A 28-year-old Utah motorist who was shot with a Taser by a highway patrolman after he refused to accept a speeding ticket has received a $50,000 settlement from the state, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The incident was caught on the officer's dashboard camera and subsequently posted to YouTube, where it was viewed at least 1.7 million times. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the officer was briefly placed on administrative leave and received training in conflict resolution. The state attorney general stated that his department believed that the lawsuit was legally defensible but too expensive to ...<< MORE >>
Woman Sues Oprah's Harpo Studios; Cites Crowd Control Problems
A woman who tumbled down the stairs at a taping of Oprah Winfrey's popular talk show is suing Harpo Studios, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. Her lawsuit claims that the woman received "severe and permanent injuries" due to the production company's negligence in crowd control. The woman allegedly was pushed down the stairs when an excited crowd of audience members elbowed its way towards the studio's open seating. According to the Chicago-Sun Times, the woman is seeking over $50,000 for medical care and other damages.
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Iraq Contractor Faces Lawsuit in Soldier Electrocution
ABC News reports that the parents of a U.S. soldier electrocuted by faulty wiring in Iraq have filed a lawsuit in a Pennsylvania state court against contractor Kellogg Brown Root (KBR). KBR has contracts with the Pentagon to provide building maintenance and repair in Iraq, including Radwaniyah Palace where the incident occurred. The soldier, one of 12 to die of accidental electrocution in Iraq to date, was fatally shocked while showering, due to an improperly grounded water pump. According to ABC News, the matter is now being investigated by the House Committee on Oversight and Government ...<< MORE >>
Supreme Court Won't Hear Wal-Mart Reimbursement Case
A Missouri woman who received a nearly half-million dollar settlement for a vehicle accident that left her critically brain injured must reimburse the money to Wal-Mart, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Supreme Court refused to hear her case, allowing a circuit court decision to stand. The woman's medical expenses of nearly $470,000 were paid by her company-sponsored health insurance, but a clause in the policy stipulated that the insurance required the repayment of medical reimbursements if a worker received money from a lawsuit. The woman received a $417,477 settlement ...<< MORE >>
Jury Rules Doctors Weren't Negligent in Ritter Case
According to the Los Angeles Times, two physicians accused of negligence in the 2003 death of actor John Ritter have been cleared by a Glendale, California jury in a 9-3 verdict. The lawsuit, filed by Mr. Ritter's wife, had contended that a radiologist missed an enlarged aorta from a routine body scan two years prior, and that a cardiologist missed signs that Mr. Ritter was suffering from an aortic dissection when he presented to the emergency room. The Los Angeles Times reported that Mr. Ritter's wife had already received $14 million from ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Blames Nissan for SUV Rollover Fatality
The family of a McLean County, New York woman who died in 2006 after her Nissan Pathfinder rolled over has filed a lawsuit against Nissan North America, reports CNNMoney.com. According to CNNMoney.com, the lawsuit is seeking medical and burial expenses in addition to unspecified damages. The lawsuit contends that the restraint system on the woman's 1993 SUV failed when her vehicle entered a median and rolled over. Nissan had no comment.
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Department of Corrections Pays $2.25 Million in Jewish Center Shootings Case
The Washington Department of Corrections has reached a $2.25 million settlement with the victims of a shooting which took place at a Jewish community center in 1999, according to the Los Angeles Times. The lawsuit claimed that the corrections department failed to adequately supervise or visit the home of the assailant, who was then a parolee. Four children and a receptionist where injured in the shootings, and a mail carrier was killed. The gunman, a self-avowed white supremacist who intended the shootings as a "wake-up call to America to kill Jews," is now serving a life ...<< MORE >>
Hawaii Assault with Racial Overtones Sparks Lawsuit
A military couple who was beaten following a fender bender has filed a lawsuit against their assailants, reports the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. The parking lot beating drew national attention because of its racial overtones. The assailants, a couple and their teenage son, allegedly screamed the racial epithet "f---- haole" multiple times during the assault. According to the Star-Bulletin, prosecutors did not try the incident as a hate crime because the assault stemmed from the motor vehicle accident, not primarily from racial motives. ...<< MORE >>
Football Player's Mom Files Claims
The mother of a high school athlete who lapsed into a coma as a result of a football game injury has filed claims against a California city school district and fire department, reports television station KGTV. According to the claims, an ambulance standing by at the home game was not used to transport the boy to the hospital after his injury this September. Instead, a second ambulance was called so that an ambulance could continue to stand by at the game in case other injuries occurred. According to KGTV, the boy has regained consciousness and is expected to ...<< MORE >>
Autism Settlement Won't Serve as Precedent, Claim Legal Observers
The Washington Post that an undisclosed settlement from a federal vaccine injury compensation fund is being paid to the family of young child who developed autism after receiving five childhood vaccinations. Health officials from the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention still claim the vaccines are safe. However, officials concede that in this case the shots worsened an underlying disease involving the toddler's mitochodria, causing autism-like symptoms. According to the Washington Post, legal observers believe the case is too narrow to serve as a precedent for other claims alleging that childhood vaccines cause autism. ...<< MORE >>
Teacher Shuts Window on Chld's Hand; Lawsuit Filed
The Fayetteville Observer reported that the family of a middle-school student student, injured when her teacher inadvertently shut the window on her hand, has filed a lawsuit. According to the Fayetteville Observer, over $10,000 in damages are being sought. The girl was severely cut when her Spanish teacher closed and locked the window on her hand and then neglected to immediately respond to the cries for help from students who observed the accident.
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Woman Wins $1.68 Million Verdict for Back Injury
A woman who suffered serious back injuries as a result of an auto accident has been awarded a $1.68 verdict, according to the New Jersey Law Journal. The lawsuit was heard by a Morris County jury, who awarded the payout for pain and suffering and loss of wages. The New Jersey Law Journal reported that the woman's car was involved in a two-car accident which caused herniated disks in her neck and spine.
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Psychologist Prescribes Painkiller; Family Sues After Patient Dies
A psychologist who illegally prescribed oxycodone to one of his patients is being sued by her family following her death by an overdose of the painkiller, according to the Sun-Sentinel. The psychologist, who was not legally allowed to write prescriptions, used prescription pads stolen from physicians. The Sun-Sentinel reports that the clinic where the psychologist worked is also a defendant in the lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages. The psychologist, who was dating the 20-year-old woman, has been charged with manslaughter.
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Lawsuit Blames Gas Station Operators for Fire, Disfigurement
A personal injury lawsuit has been filed blaming Sunoco Oil and a gas station operator for a fire that injured an Ohio University student, reports the Athens Messenger. The fire erupted when the automatic shutoff malfunctioned as the woman filled up her tank. According to the Athens Messenger, gasoline pooled on the ground and then burst into flame as the woman removed the nozzle. Over $25,000 in damages are sought for "permanent disfigurement and physical and emotional pain and suffering." The lawsuit alleges that Sunoco Oil and the gas station operator were << MORE >>
Medical Device Manufacturers Free From Liability, Says Supreme Court
According to the New York Times, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that FDA regulations bar state court liability lawsuits against medical device manufacturers. The court's ruling is consonant with the Bush administration's position that pre-market approval by the FDA preempts claims for personal injury damages in state court. The court's majority opinion says that lawsuits in state court "disrupt the federal scheme" whereby the examination of the risks and benefits of medical devices has been assigned to the FDA. Senator Edward Kennedy was quoted by the New York Times as saying that "Congress obviously needs ...<< MORE >>
$30 Million Settlement Agreement Tentatively Reached in Nightclub Fire Lawsuit
The Boston Globe reported that a $30 million settlement has been reached between a Rhode Island TV station and plaintiffs in a lawsuit stemming from a 2003 Rhode Island nightclub fire. Many other defendants remain. The lawsuit alleged that a cameraman, who ironically, was filming a segment about nightclub safety, blocked the exit as victims fled a fire that had been sparked by onstage pyrotechnics during a rock concert. The cameraman denied the allegation. According to the Boston Globe, 100 people were killed in the incident and over 200 hurt.
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Waiver Not Good Enough to Protect Stables, Judges Rule
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, an appeals court has ruled that a waiver signed by a woman injured on a horseback ride was too ambiguous to absolve the stables from responsibility. The judge ruled that the woman's personal injury lawsuit could proceed, even though the woman had already received a settlement from the stables for an undisclosed sum. The appeals court opinion was published as a precedent for future cases. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the woman was thrown from her horse when it unexpectedly bolted, and received cuts and ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Alleges Faulty Chair Caused Rotator Cuff Injury
An client of a West Virginia mental health facility has filed a lawsuit after being thrown to the floor when the chair she was sitting in broke, reports the West Virginia Record. The woman was being treated by the mental health facility on an outpatient basis. The personal injury lawsuit alleges that the chair she was provided was unsafe and improperly maintained, according to the West Virginia Record. Compensatory damages and court costs are being sought for the woman's injuries, which included a torn rotator cuff.
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Lawsuit Filed in Spousal Stabbing
A Pennsylvania man has sued his wife for damages exceeding $50,000 after she plunged an 8-inch knife into his chest , reports the The Intelligencer. The woman claimed that her husband's incessant verbal abuse incited the stabbing, which was witnessed by the couple's son. When the woman was sentenced, the judge agreed that she had been affected by her husband's bullying, but sentenced her anyway to a state prison term of up to 4 years. According to The Intelligencer, personal injury lawsuits that take place in the aftermath of spousal abuse are not uncommon. ...<< MORE >>
Dad Files Lawsuit Against Elementary School; Alleges Game Too Dangerous
The father of an elementary school student who fractured his leg during a "prey and predator" game has filed a lawsuit against the school district, reports the Tampa Tribune. The game took place during a science class. Details on exactly how the game was played were unavailable. The lawsuit claims that the teacher should have adequately understood each child's physical abilities and limitations, and that the game was "genuinely dangerous." Unspecified damages are being sought, according to the Tampa Tribune.
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Improper Fencing Caused Head Injury, Lawsuit Alleges
The city of Hillsboro, Ohio is being sued by a sheriff who was hit in the head by a baseball in a city park, reports ABC affiliate WCPO. The personal injury lawsuit alleges that the city negligently did not maintain adequate fencing surrounding the batting cage. The lawsuit asks for at least $25,000 in compensation for temporary and permanent injuries to the man's eye and head, according to WCPO.
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$5.2 Million Settlement Paid for Loss of Arm
The Memphis Business Journal reports that an Atlanta woman has been awarded a $5.2 million personal injury settlement from International Paper, the world's largest pulp and paper producer. The plaintiff lost her arm in a vehicle crash when she was rear-ended by an International Paper employee. The woman's car was pushed into a ditch, and her arm was crushed between the door and the ground. The employee was talking on a company cell phone at the time, according to the Memphis Business Journal.
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Retired Psychologist Dies Due to Elevator Mishap: Family Sues
A retired Florida psychologist stepped out of an elevator at a medical building and became trapped in the space between a metal security gate and the elevator door, reports Florida TV station WPLG. Now the 81-year-old deceased man's family has filed a lawsuit against the building owner, management company, as well as the physician practice. The lawsuit contends that management had been instructed to remove the gate by county inspectors who deemed it a safety violation. According to WPLG, the gate was installed to prevent people from exiting at that floor.
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Faulty Computer Code Destroys Man's Heart: Catheter Manufacturer Sued
A multi-million dollar lawsuit is alleging that a medical device that overheated during routine cardiac surgery caused a Washington man's heart to cook from the inside, reports the Everett Daily Herald. According to the lawsuit, faulty computer code caused a catheter used to monitor blood flow during bypass surgery to reach 500 degrees and melt. The man's heart was destroyed, according to the Everett Daily Herald. He had to receive a heart transplant as a result of the burns, and has since developed cancer directly attributable to the many anti-rejection drugs he now takes. The catheter ...<< MORE >>
Spinal Injury Blamed on Football Helmet Manufacturers
According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, nine companies involved in the manufacture, sales, and design of a football helmet worn by a high schooler who suffered a catastrophic spinal injury have been sued. The young football player fractured several vertabrae when he was tackled, and he now must use a wheelchair. The personal injury lawsuit contends that the helmet the student wore was defective, reports the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
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Shoes Blamed in Elevator Mishap: $7 Million Lawsuit Filed
The Boulder Daily Camera reports that Crocs, known for its colorful plastic footwear, is being sued for $7 million in connection with an escalator accident that caused a girl to be "severely and permanently injured." While wearing a pair of pink Crocs, the child's foot was allegedly caught in an escalator, causing the skin to be peeled off of her toe. The shoes have also been blamed in several other escalator accidents involving children. A Crocs spokesperson insisted that the shoes are perfectly safe, according to the Daily Camera.
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Apartment Owners, Builders Not Liable for Teacher's Death in Fire
According to the Huntsville Times, a county judge ruled that the owners and builders of an Alabama apartment complex where a teacher died in a fire are not liable for her death. The fire was deliberately set by a building resident, now serving a life sentence for the crime. The lawsuit alleged that lack of compliance with building codes contributed to the woman's death, even though the codes were not on the books when the complex was completed, 20 years before the fire. The judge also ruled that the defendants could not ...<< MORE >>
Animal Services Department Blamed for Dog Attack
An California equine veterinarian who was bitten and mauled by two boxers has filed an amended lawsuit against the county's Department of Animal Services, according to the North County Times. Unspecified damages are being sought in the attack, which left the vet with $150,000 in medical bills, chronic pain, and an inability to resume work because of her fear of dogs. The lawsuit alleges that the department knew that the dogs had previously bitten two other people, but neglected to prevent more attacks. The defendant blamed the dog owner, instead. The North ...<< MORE >>
'Pediatrics' Reports that Infant Exposure to Phthalates Is Causing Abnormalities
There is a growing body of evidence that a compound found in shampoos, lotions and powders is causing reproductive and endocrine abnormalities.
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Nothing can douse the holiday spirit faster than being involved in a car accident, especially one in which you or a loved one is injured. Yet, iced roads and too much holiday drinking too often do lead to accident and injury. For those who become accident victims, Robert Aronov & Associates, a leading New York personal injury law firm, offers five common sense recommendations.
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The journal Pediatrics this month published a study about exposure to phthalates and found that the levels in some infants is "nothing short of horrifying," the Kansas City Star reports. The paper quotes a University of Missouri professor who says phthalate levels are critical because infants are building organs, and could feel lifelong ramifications of early toxic exposures.
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Drowning in City-Run Lap Pool Leads to Lawsuit
The Daily Astorian reports that the husband of an Oregon woman who drowned in a city-run lap pool has filed a personal injury lawsuit for $600,000. The lawsuit alleges that the city failed to provide an adequate number of lifeguards, and that their lifesaving efforts were inadequate. The city countered that the 34-year-old woman was responsible for her own drowning, claiming that she was swimming in a negligent manner that caused her to hit her head and lose consciousness. According to the Daily Astorian, the woman was submerged for 10 minutes before she was discovered by ...<< MORE >>
Cadaver Tissue Recipient Files Lawsuit, Claims Mental Anguish and Emotional Distress
An Indianapolis firefighter who received a tissue transplant in conjunction with a cervical fusion surgical procedure has filed a personal injury lawsuit, reports the Times-Mail. The defendants are several companies that were involved in the cadaver tissue's distribution and procurement. According to the plaintiff's attorney, the original procurer of the cadaver tissue harvested the tissue from funeral homes without authorization. The firefighter has not become physically ill from the tissue. However, the lawsuit alleges that he is at risk for tissue failure because of the possibility that the tissue came from an ...<< MORE >>
Driver of Car that Killed Cyclist Wins Verdict from Town, Race Director
A Virginia woman who was driving the car involved in a fatal crash with a bicycle racer has been awarded $350,000 for mental and emotional trauma and for vehicle damage, reports the Roanoke Times. The crash killed a 30-year-old race participant who allegedly ran a stop sign and collided with the woman's car. The town-sponsored race did not have personnel or signs alerting motorists about the race course. According to the Roanoke Times, the bicyclist's family also won a verdict from the town and the race director in a prior lawsuit.
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West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Sued: Loose Carpet Allegedly Caused Fall
The West Virginia Record reports that a woman has sued the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles over an injury she suffered when she fell on loose carpeting near the office's front desk. She is seeking compensatory and punitive damages for injuries to her face and eye. The woman's personal injury lawsuit alleges that the carpet was loose and raised by an object on the floor, or by wires. Her lawsuit also names as a defendant the mall that houses the DMV office, according to the ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Filed in Scooter Collision
The Portsmouth Herald reports that a lawsuit has been filed against an 18-year-old New Hampshire man who allegedly struck a 6-year-old who was riding a scooter. The child's parents are suing for medical expenses, loss of enjoyment of life, and pain and suffering. The child allegedly suffered a severe brain injury when the 18-year-old motorist failed to apply his brakes, crashing into the boy and causing him to fly into the air. According to the Portsmouth Herald, the child's parents have also filed a lawsuit against the same ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Planned in Cleanup Crew Death
The family of a North Carolina prison inmate who was killed by a motorist while participating in a roadside cleanup crew plans to file a federal lawsuit, reports the Raleigh News & Observer. The driver, who has pleaded no contest to a driving misdemeanor in the case, is the son-in-law of former United States senator Lauch Faircloth. According to the News & Observer, the inmate was working on a grassy median when the driver rolled onto the median after trying to avoid hitting another car. The state has since ceased operating its inmate roadside cleanup operation on ...<< MORE >>
Testimony Could Shake Up Tissue Transplant Industry
The Myrtle Beach Sun News reports that a former oral surgeon is poised to give testimony that could shake up the tissue transplant industry, whose members include several public companies. The oral surgeon, who is the former owner of Biomedical Tissue Services, is accused of cutting up body parts plundered from funeral homes in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and selling them to tissue processors. He has agreed to testify about the tissue processing companies were his customers. Hundreds of lawsuits are pending against the tissue processors, who disclaim knowledge of how the tissue was ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Filed in Georgia Scuffle, Taser Shooting
An off-duty police officer and a grocery store are being sued by a Georgia man who claims he was stunned by a Taser and punched for no reason as he left the store, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The store's manager said that he asked the plaintiff to leave because he was acting suspiciously. The man faces criminal charges of trespassing and obstructing a law enforcement officer. According to the Journal-Constitution, the man's claims that the officer attacked him without provocation were contradicted by the police report and by an eyewitness, who said that the man ...<< MORE >>
Woman Killed by Falling Tree in Park: Children Settle, Husband Declines
The adult children of a 63-year-old woman who was killed by a falling tree limb in a Florida park have accepted settlements of $5,000 each, reports the Tampa Tribune. The woman's husband, who was married to her for over 40 years, declined to settle, and the case may be headed to trial. The wrongful death lawsuit claimed that the city should have known that the tree was damaged and at risk of snapping. The Tampa Tribune said that the woman was sitting at a picnic table when the tree limb struck her.
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Brain-Injured Tot's Family Files Lawsuit
The St. Petersburg Times reports that the family of a boy who was severely injured at the BayWalk entertainment complex in St. Petersburg, Florida, has filed a lawsuit. The child suffered a brain injury during a live concert when a speaker weighing between 30 and 70 pounds toppled down on him, fracturing his skull. Baywalk's operator, the band that was performing that night, and the band's booking agent are all named as defendants. The accident left the boy's right hand insensate and caused behavioral issues, according to the St. Petersburg Times. The child was ...<< MORE >>
Burst Exercise Ball Leads to Injury, Lawsuit
A man has filed a lawsuit against a Florida YMCA and a sporting goods manufacturer for injuries suffered when the exercise ball he was using suddenly burst, reports the Florida Times-Union. The man told the Florida Times-Union that he leaning back on the ball and lifting weights when the ball exploded. He later underwent 5 surgeries. The lawsuit contends that the ball was erroneously labeled as an "anti-burst" ball, and that it was specifically claimed to slowly deflate instead of explode.
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Cruise Line Blamed in Bathroom Fall
The Orlando Sentinel reports that a lawsuit has been filed against Disney Cruise Line in connection with the death of a 78-year-old man who fell and struck his head against a bathtub. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the New York man was originally given a Tylenol when he went to shipboard health services after his fall. He returned later complaining of shortness of breath and pain, and was then diagnosed with broken ribs and a punctured lung. The lawsuit alleges that it took 5 hours for the ship to evacuate the man to a hospital. The ...<< MORE >>
$90,000 Settlement Reached in Washington Taser Incident
A lawsuit from a man who was shot with a Taser after police responded to his co-workers' call for emergency medical assistance has been awarded a settlement, reports the Tacoma News Tribune. The man suffered a seizure while working at an auto parts store. The man declined to allow EMS responders to examine him, and was shot with a Taser when he became belligerent. According an Epilepsy Foundation document cited by the News Tribune, hostile behavior is not uncommon after a person with epilepsy has a seizure. The man was not charged in the incident.
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$3 Million Settlement Reached in Missouri Collision Case
A truck driver's insurers are paying out a $3 million settlement in the case of a multi-car pileup that injured a Missouri motorist, reports the Missouri Lawyers Weekly. According to the Missouri Lawyers Weekly, a dump truck driver crashed into the plaintiff's car after the plaintiff had stopped behind a wreck on a Missouri bridge. The dump truck driver claimed that he, too, was hit from behind, pushing his vehicle into the plaintiff's. The settlement was offered 4 hours into jury deliberations.
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$13 Million Nassau County Settlement Largest in History
Newsday reports that Nassau County has agreed to pay $13 million to settle a lawsuit from a woman injured in a car crash. The settlement is Nassau County's largest in history, said Newsday. The woman crashed on into a tree on a stretch of road previously declared unsafe by virtue of other lawsuits. The woman's neck was broken, and she has suffered several surgeries since the accident.
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Man Tasered During Break-in Dies, Parents Sue
The parents of a 43-year-old man who was shot by sheriff's deputies with a Taser have filed a lawsuit against the county, reports the Modesto Bee. The man had broken into a California home and attacked the occupants. The man was shot with a Taser during the struggle that ensued when deputies attempted to take him into custody. The man died shortly after being handcuffed, according to the Modesto Bee. His father claimed that the man had epilepsy, and may have been seeking help for a seizure when he broke into the couple's home.
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Judge Throws Out Jell-o Wrestling Lawsuit
According to the New York Daily News, a judge has dismissed the claims of an NYU student who alleged that he broke his hip during a Jell-o wrestling stunt. The student was one of the organizers for the dormitory event, which he claimed was sanctioned by the University. The student's claim was weakened by the fact that he entered the Jell-o filled kiddie pool but then continued roughhousing on the concrete surface in front of it. The New York Daily News said that the student filed the lawsuit in 2005. He sought damages of $1 million. ...<< MORE >>
Failure to Perform Cancer Screening Leads to $250,000 Settlement
According to the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, a settlement has been reached in the demise of a woman who did not receive colon cancer screenings, and who subsequently died of the disease. Claims in the medical malpractice lawsuit included conscious pain and suffering, as well as wrongful death. The woman's physician said that she had indeed been offered screenings for colon cancer, but that she declined. The Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly said that the case was settled for $250,000 on the eve of the trial.
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Pennsylvania Hit and Run Chase Leads to Death, Lawsuit
The Lebanon Daily News reports that a lawsuit has been filed against a driver who struck a Pennsylvania woman's car, killing her, and another man whose whose car was hit by the same driver earlier that night. Following a hit and run accident, the man whose car was originally hit gave chase, causing the man who struck him to run through a stop sign as he tried to get away. A second crash then ensued, causing the woman's death, said the Lebanon Daily News. The plaintiff, the woman's husband, is seeking over $50,000 from each ...<< MORE >>
Spill from Truckbed Leads to $100,000 Settlement
A teenager who struck her head on the pavement after falling from a truck tailgate has received a $100,000 settlement, reports the Missouri Lawyers Weekly. The lawsuit claimed that the girl suffered a brain injury causing a diminished capacity for taste and smell in addition to behavioral problems. The defendant, also a teenager, was driving the truck for his employer, a Missouri electric company. The defendant had claimed that the plaintiff of purposely jumped from the tailgate, making her comparatively negligent, according to the Missouri Lawyers Weekly.
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$1.9 Million Paid in Drunk Driving Settlement
$1.9 million was paid in a pre-suit settlement associated with the death of Michigan couple who perished in a head-on collision, according to the Michigan Lawyers Weekly. The defendant was drinking in a bar and left in a noticeably intoxicated state. He crossed the center line on a two-lane highway and slammed into the couple's car. Damages were collected from both the defendant's auto insurance and from the establishment in which he had been drinking, the Michigan Lawyers Weekly said.
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Damages Sought in Massachusetts Ski Mishap
Jury selection has been completed for a trial where undetermined monetary damages are being sought in the death of a Massachusetts skier, reports the Springfield Republican. The Massachusetts teenager was skiing at a Massachusetts ski area when she hit a fire hydrant. The girl's parents, plaintiffs in the lawsuit, allege that help was tardy, and that the hydrant was a dangerous obstacle that should have been padded and marked with a warning sign. According to the Springfield Republican, the girl died one month after the ski mishap.
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Dallas Cowboys Player Lies Comatose: Doctors Charged with Negligence
According to the Dallas Morning News, a lawsuit has been filed charging an anesthesiologist and a plastic surgeon with gross negligence in the case of a comatose former professional football player. Ron Springs, 51, formerly played for the Dallas Cowboys. He was having a cyst removed from his arm when he fell into a coma on the operating table. He had received a successful kidney transplant earlier the same year, the Dallas Morning News reported. The man's family, along with other plaintiffs, is seeking in a separate lawsuit to have the Texas legislature's $250,000 ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Limitations to be Changed by Wisconsin Bill
The Wisconsin State Journal reports that the Wisconsin state senate has passed a bill allowing for parents of adult children to file lawsuits for medical malpractice. The Democratic-sponsored bill would give legal standing to parents of adult children who die as a result of malpractice, as well as to adult children whose parents die of malpractice. Wisconsin law previously disallowed both classes from filing lawsuits, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
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Violinist's Personal Injury Claim Against Symphony Dismissed
A personal injury lawsuit filed by a violinist against the Seattle Symphony has been dismissed by a judge, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The lawsuit had alleged that the violinist suffered emotional distress stemming from "persistent and severe discrimination." The violinist, currently on leave from the symphony, has been at that job for over 25 years. Over 30 of the violinist's fellow symphony musicians gave depositions on the violinist's behalf, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
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Foster Mom Sued in Baby's Suffocation
A baby who was removed from her biological mother because of child welfare workers' concerns about the mother's drug use died while in foster care, reports the St. Petersburg Times. Now, a St. Petersburg attorney has filed a lawsuit on behalf of the infant's estate against the foster mother and the foster care agency, accusing them of negligence. The baby suffocated while sleeping in the foster mother's bed, an act prohibited by Florida foster care regulations. The foster mother lost her foster care license as a result of the incident, according to the St. Petersburg Times. ...<< MORE >>
Patients Fall Ill After Using Contaminated Syringes: Manufacturer Sued
According to the Miami Herald, five Illinois residents who used tainted medical syringes have filed a lawsuit against the syringes' manufacturer. The pre-filled syringes, used at home by patients with cancer and other serious diseases, were allegedly contaminated with bacteria. The Miami Herald reported that all of the plaintiffs were hospitalized as a result of becoming infected with bacteria after using the syringes. The damages being sought are unspecified.
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Woman Sues in K-Mart Purse Snatching
An Ohio woman who was injured when her purse was snatched outside a Super KMart has sued her assailants, KMart, and the management company for the property, reports the Youngstown Vindicator. The lawsuit contends that the woman fell and hurt her leg, suffering permanent injuries. According to the Vindicator, KMart declined to comment, saying its policy is to not discuss pending litigation.
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Blue Man Group Went Too Far for Audience Member: Lawsuit Filed
According to the Chicago Tribune, a man who attended a performance of the Blue Man Group is filing a lawsuit alleging that his esophagus was injured when a camera was forced down his throat during a 2006 show. However, Blue Man Productions insists that the entire sequence was merely a theatrical device. They explained that during the illusion, a camera is held next to an audience member's mouth. A pre-recorded medical video is then shown, giving the audience the impression that they are viewing what goes on inside the audience member's throat. The Chicago Tribune said ...<< MORE >>
Modine Manufacturing Settles Brain Cancer Lawsuit
Modine Manufacturing, a Wisconsin-based manufacturer of coolers and condensers, has settled a lawsuit stemming from environmental contamination and toxic chemical exposure near its plant, reports the Journal Times. The lawsuit was filed by two nearby residents who contracted rare brain cancers. Lawsuits will still proceed against two other named defendant companies, according to the Journal Times. The company disclaimed responsibility for the illnesses, but stated that they believed the settlement was in the best interest of the company's stakeholders.
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New Year's Crash Leads to 3rd Lawsuit Filing
The family of a South Carolina woman who died in a New Year's crash has filed a lawsuit seeking over $10 million in damages from a man who was driving under the influence of both medications and alcohol, reports the Independent Mail. The 68-year old woman was one of three killed when a construction employee heading to a job site crossed the center line on a state highway, crashing head-on into a 2006 Toyota. The 61-year old defendant was driving a company truck at the time, according to the Independent Mail. He also faces criminal charges. ...<< MORE >>
Doctors Sued in Death of Actor John Ritter
The Los Angeles Times reports that the wife of John Ritter has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against two physicians, alleging that their negligence caused the actor's death in 2003. The defendants are a cardiologist who treated Ritter the night of his death, and a radiologist who interpreted the results of a preventative body scan he had received two years prior. The lawsuit alleges that had a chest x-ray been performed on the night of his death, an enlarged aorta would have been spotted, and that life-saving surgery could have been performed. ...<< MORE >>
Texas Hospital Sent Dead Baby to Laundry: Parents File Lawsuit
The parents of a baby who was born prematurely and died that same day have filed a lawsuit alleging that the baby's body was improperly sent to a dry cleaning facility instead of being properly prepared for burial. The Dallas Morning News reported that the baby had been sent to the morgue, but that the baby was then mistakenly collected with the laundry and sent to a commercial dry cleaner. The parents' lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for mental anguish and severe emotional distress. Hospital attorneys extended their sympathies, but denied ...<< MORE >>
59 Allege Molestation by Physician: Hospital Blamed in Lawsuits
Fifty-nine former patients of a prominent staff physician have filed lawsuits alleging that a Connecticut hospital was negligent in failing to stop the man from molesting them, reported the Hartford Courant. The doctor quit in 1993 amidst accusations that he had been molesting and inappropriately photographing children for decades. State health authorities had received complaints of molestation in 1987, but did not pursue an investigation, reported the Courant. The physician was a former head of endocrinology. He had told the children, and some of their parents, that he was conducting a study on childhood ...<< MORE >>
Wrongful Death Proceeds Denied to Biological Parents
The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin reported on a Cook County appellate court decision stating that the biological parents of a young woman who died while in foster care are not eligible to receive proceeds from a wrongful death lawsuit. The young woman was a ward of the court who had been placed in foster care because her parents were unwilling to care for her, and also to protect her from her biological mother's neglect. According to the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, the woman's parents had renounced their rights to assets from her estate by signing a ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Rejected for Parking Lot Punchout
A lawsuit against the Los Angeles Dodgers by a woman who claims she was blinded by a punch in the stadium parking lot has been rejected by a jury, reports the City News Service. The lawsuit contended that Dodgers security was negligent in failing to eject the woman's assailant for heckling her during the game. According to the City News Service, the victim sought money from the Dodgers organization because the assailant was broke and unable to pay the restitution ordered by a judge in 2006.
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Employers Blamed for Drywall Worker Death
The family of a drywall worker who was killed while attempting to raise a scaffolding has filed a lawsuit against the man's former employers, reports the St. Petersburg Times. According to the Times, the man was working on a 20-foot vaulted ceiling in a Florida home when he fell. The lawsuit contends that the worker had not been trained in the safe use of scaffolding, and that federal inspectors had concluded that there were serious safety violations.
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15 Years Later, Blame Still Disputed for 1993 Bombing
Fifteen years after the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, lawyers are wrangling over who is to blame, according to the New York Times. In the sixth appeal of the case, a panel of five judges is considering whether to toss out a verdict that concluded that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was 68% responsible for the attack. That verdict concluded that the terrorists who carried out the attack were only 32% responsible. The apportionment of blame has financial implications. The New York Times reported that if the Port ...<< MORE >>
Couple Blames Campground for Thunderstorm Injuries
A couple who were injured in a severe windstorm have sued the owners of a New Hampshire campground, reports the Hampton Union. During the summer of 2004, the couple visited the campground in a pop-up camper. A violent storm known as a "bow echo" tore through the campground, breaking and toppling pine trees. One tree landed atop the couple. The woman's leg was pierced by a tree branch, and the left side of her body was crushed. According to the Hampton Union, the pair's lawsuit claims that the campground should have monitored weather reports ...<< MORE >>
Man Blames Computer Manufacturer for Fire, Injured Daughter
An Arkansas man is seeking unspecified damages from computer hardware giant HP, accusing the company of negligence, reports InformationWeek. His lawsuit claims that his Compaq Presario PC exploded and caught fire, causing his daughter to leap out of a second floor window. The girl was burned and permanently disfigured, and the man's house destroyed, says InformationWeek.
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Disabled Daughter Dies in Crash, Mom Sues State
According to the Florida Times-Union, the state of Georgia is being blamed for the death of a 23-year-old disabled woman in a van crash. A lawsuit, filed by the victim's mother, alleges that the driver of the van had a known medical history that should have precluded her from being assigned to drive the van. The van was used to transport disabled clients to a training center. The driver, who also died in the accident, had indicated on an employee emergency form that she had diabetes and cardiac problems. The state has denied any negligence in ...<< MORE >>
Warehouse Club Customers Made Sick by Beef, Bad Information, Lawsuit Claims
Two Kentucky customers who allegedly ate feces-contaminated beef have filed a lawsuit contending that employees at a Sam's Club store told them that the beef was safe, reports the Knoxville News-Sentinel. The pair became concerned after viewing a news report on television about the recall of E-coli tainted beef. They called the meat manager at the Sam's Club where they had recently purchased frozen hamburger, asking if the meat they'd bought was part of the recall. According to the News-Sentinel, the lawsuit claims the pair was erroneously informed that the beef they had purchased was safe, ...<< MORE >>
Family of Injured Former Student Sues School District, Vice Principal
The family of a former high school student from Gloucester, Virginia is suing an administrator and the school district for failing to prevent a fight that left the young man permanently brain-injured, reports the Daily Press. According to the Daily Press, the lawsuit seeks $2 million in compensatory damages, and punitive damages of $350,000. The family alleges that on the day of the incident, a friend of the victim had informed the high school's vice principal that there were rumors afloat that the boy would be attacked. The administrator allegedly neglected to alert security ...<< MORE >>
Attorneys Miss Filing Deadline, Jury Awards Legal Malpractice Judgment
A Mississippi law firm that missed a deadline in filing a medical malpractice case has itself been held liable for legal malpractice, reports the Clarion-Ledger. The lawsuit was filed by the sister of a woman who died of breast cancer in in June, 1999. The sister had originally engaged the firm to file a suit against the dead woman's regular physician, who had failed to order mammograms during the 8 years that she had been seeing him. The lawsuit alleged that although the attorneys had requested the deceased woman's medical ...<< MORE >>
West Virginia Man Claims Son Improperly Supervised, Sues School Board
A West Virginia man whose son was severely and permanently injured in a high school fight has sued the local school board, reports the Charleston Daily Mail. The lawsuit claims that the school breached its duty to supervise, care for, and control the student, who was beaten in the school gym. A jury trial has been demanded, says the Daily Mail.
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Routine Traffic Incident Leads to High-Speed Chase, Lawsuit
Damages are being sought from the city of Pittsburgh in a lawsuit filed on behalf of two innocent bystanders who were killed when their vehicle was hit by a truck being pursued by police, reports TV station WPXI. The truck had been stopped in a routine traffic incident, but were pursued in a high-speed chase when the driver attempted to escape. According to WPXI, the traffic stop was for non-working tail lights.
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Man's Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Murderer
The family of an Indiana man murdered in a sniper shooting has filed a wrongful death lawsuit seeking unspecified damages from the 18-year old perpetrator, reports the Associated Press. The sniper was sentenced to 42 years in the incident. The lawsuit also names the sniper's grandparents, who were his guardians at the time, as co-defendants. The Associated Press reported that the sniper fired a hunting rifle from an Indiana overpass after quarreling with his family during a deer hunt.
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Alabama Inmate Hurt in Gym Fight, Sues County
A prisoner whose burglary charges were ultimately dismissed has sued his jailers for injuries received in an altercation that took place in a converted gym, reports the Mobile Press-Register. The prisoner claims that his injuries were severe, and included a brain injury. A video of the incident reviewed by the Press-Register showed the plaintiff striking another inmate. The defendant's attorney says that the video makes it clear that the plaintiff was the one at fault for starting the fight, thus causing his own injuries. In addition to blaming ...<< MORE >>
Child of Asbestos Worker Dies: ALCOA Sued
A lawsuit claims that a child's death from a rare cancer is the fault of her father's employer, Pennsylvania-based ALCOA, according to the Greenwire news service. The father hauled asbestos during his employ, reports Greenwire. The lawsuit, which seeks $10 million in punitive and $10 million in compensatory damages, states that the girl was exposed to asbestos dust and fibers when her father inadvertently brought them into the home. The girl died of mesothelioma, a disease associated with asbestos exposure.
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School District Not Liable for Student's Injury
City News Service has reported that the Los Angeles Unified School District has been dismissed as a defendant in a negligence and premises liability lawsuit involving a second-grader who left school unsupervised after classes were dismissed. The girl was hit by a truck as she jaywalked across a street on her way home, according to City News Service. The girl's family had claimed that the district was responsible for ensuring that the girl was released to a parent or guardian, but the judge did not agree that detaining the girl was mandated ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Filed Against Hospital in Medication Mishap
A Pennsylvania hospital has been sued following a medication error that killed one infant and left another brain-injured, reports the Associated Press. The twins had been given an overdose of an antibiotic just one day after their premature birth. Both infants suffered cardiac arrest, said the AP. The hospital admitted that a medication error had occurred, and claims it has instituted enhanced protocols to prevent future mishaps. The lawsuit is seeking over $50,000 in damages.
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Hunters Injured Using Tree Stands: Company Settles for $420,000
A company whose tree stands caused injuries to the hunters using them has reached a settlement with the government for $420,000, reports the Associated Press. The Associated Press reported that the United States Consumer Product Safety Division had originally sought $1.65 million. The government alleged that the company had received reports that the tree stands were becoming detached from trees, and that some hunters had suffered bone fractures and other injuries as they tumbled down, but that the company failed to tell the Consumer Product Safety Division about the problem.
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Amusement Park Caused Amputation, Alleges Lawsuit
In a deposition in a lawsuit stemming from an accident at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, a 16-year old ride operator stated that she did not hear screams to stop the ride. The Associated Press reports that the accident, which occurred when a cable broke, caused the amputation of a teenager's feet. The operator claimed that she heard a loud snap as the ride climbed 177 feet to its peak, and that she tried to stop the ride at that point. However, she said that by the time the emergency stop button was pushed, the ...<< MORE >>
Family Files Personal Injury, Emotional Trauma Claim in Nursing Home Disappearance
A lawsuit has been filed in the wake of the disappearance of an 81-year old Alzheimer's patient from an Idaho nursing home, reports the Associated Press. The man's stepchildren claim that the nursing home and its parent company did not do enough to keep him safe. The man wandered away from the nursing home in July, 2002. The sum sought by the family for emotional trauma and personal injury remains undisclosed, according to the AP.
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Thousands Sign On For Vioxx Settlement
The threshold of claimants necessary for a multi-billion dollar drug industry settlement to proceed will likely be reached, reports the Associated Press. A $4.5 billion deal was hammered out to settle claims associated with Vioxx, an anti-inflammatory drug made by Merck. Merck had threatened to withdraw from the settlement if 85% of claimants did not sign on. The average payment to each claimant, who must have suffered a heart attack, stroke, or death in order to be eligible, will probably exceed $200,000. The AP reports that Merck has ...<< MORE >>
Lung Disease Victim Sues Grocery Chain
A victim of "popcorn lung," a rare lung condition linked to a chemical used in microwave popcorn, has sued the Kroger grocery chain and its affiliates, reports the Associated Press. The Denver man had consumed two bags of microwave popcorn daily. He is believed to be the first victim of the disease who did not have workplace exposure to the chemical, called diacetyl.
Lawsuits stemming from the factory use of the butter-flavored chemical resulted in multi-million dollar verdicts in 2004 and 2005, according to the AP. Microwave popcorn manufacturers announced ...<< MORE >>
2nd Grader Injured in "Shark Tag" Mishap: Negligent Supervision Claim Proceeds
A New York state judge is allowing a negligent supervision claim to proceed, but has dismissed the claim that a school gymnasium in Nassau County was "dangerously defective," reports the New York Law Journal.
A second-grader was cut near the eye and suffered a broken wrist when playing "shark tag" in the gym. Although decorative molding jutted out from the school gym walls, the judge ruled that the school district was not obligated to provide protective padding. However, according to the New York Law Journal, the judge stated that it ...<< MORE >>
Sports Association Wants New Trial After $6 Million Verdict
A national sports association that was ordered to pay over $6 million has claimed that the jury verdict was flawed and is requesting a new trial, reports the Salt Lake Tribune.
A jury awarded the verdict to the family of a 7-year-old boy whose skull was shattered by a bat during an adult softball tournament. The plantiffs' attorneys claim that the boy will need lifetime medical care, although his condition is improving. According to the Tribune, the national sports association claims that it was unfairly ordered to pay an apportionment of ...<< MORE >>
Officer Used Excessive Force on Two Separate Occasions, Alleges Lawsuit
A New Mexico mother has filed a civil complaint alleging that excessive force was used against her son, reports the Albuquerque Journal. A Bernalillo police officer reportedly threw the woman's son, then 13-years old, to the ground at a public park after a fight broke out between children there. The complaint alleges that the teen was injured. The boy told the officer that he was uninvolved in the altercation. According to the Albuquerque Journal, the lawsuit also alleges that the police officer threw the teen against the hood of an automobile, << MORE >>
Prisoner Death Leads to $2 Million Settlement
The parents of a 40-year old man who died in custody were awarded a $2 million settlement by Maricopa County, Arizona, reports the Associated Press.
The wrongful-death lawsuit alleged that the man died weeks after being beaten and put in solitary confinement by a county detention officer. According to the AP, legal counsel for the sheriff's office claimed that the man died of an unrelated medical condition. The settlement was offered to avoid paying millions in fees to the plaintiff's lawyer if the county lost in a ...<< MORE >>
Prisoner Alleges Jailbreak Was Too Easy in Lawsuit
A prisoner who was hurt while trying to escape from Colorado's Pueblo County Jail has sued the sheriff for making it too easy for him, reports the Los Angeles Times. The prisoner was seriously injured when he fell 40 feet while trying to get down from the prison's roof using a ladder of bedsheets and mattress covers. The prisoner had removed ceiling tiles in the shower to ascend the roof. The Los Angeles Times says that the amount of money sought is unspecified.
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Tissue Implant Caused Infection: $110 Million Sought By Surgery Patient
The shares of CryoLife tumbled by 17% because of a lawsuit. CryoLife, a company publicly traded on the NYSE, allegedly supplied a cadaver tissue implant that caused an incurable infection in a Georgia man. The man, a former farm equipment mechanic, received the tissue implant during elective knee surgery. The man is seeking $110 million in a lawsuit which claims that the cadaver tissue was infected with bacteria.
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Epoxy Led to Boston Big Dig Ceiling Collapse: Family Gets $6 Million Settlement
The family of a woman crushed to death received a $6 million settlement from one of the 15 defendants in a lawsuit stemming from a tunnel collapse, reports the Associated Press. The accident occurred during Boston's Big Dig project.
Twenty-six tons of concrete rained down on the woman's car, killing her but leaving her husband with only minor injuries. The tunnel ceiling collapsed because a fast-drying epoxy was improperly used to secure overhead loads, concluded an investigation. The company offering the settlement had supplied the epoxy, according ...<< MORE >>
Mom Alleges Negligence in Skateboard Mishap
The mother of a middle-schooler injured in a skateboard mishap has filed a lawsuit against the Putnam County Board of Education on behalf of her son, according to the West Virginia Record.
The Record reported that the boy suffered broken bones and additional injuries when skateboards were improperly left in the gym. Besides alleging that no school personnel were properly supervising the students, the lawsuit claims that the plaintiff was prevented by the school principal from calling his parents for medical help, telling him instead to get ice for ...<< MORE >>
Celebrity Car Chase Caused Emotional Trauma, Claims Lawsuit
A passenger in a vehicle pursued in a high-speed chase by celebrity Lindsey Lohan has filed a lawsuit, reports the Associated Press. Ms. Lohan was chasing the car of her former assistant's mother, and the plaintiff riding along.
The SUV driven by Ms. Lohan pursued them to the Santa Monica Police Department Headquarters, where officers met them with drawn guns. The plaintiff is claiming emotional trauma, the loss of employment, and thousands of dollars in medical expenses.
The AP reported that Ms. Lohan is also the defendant in ...<< MORE >>
College Not Responsible for Snowmobile Deaths
The death of two students in a snowmobile crash was not the fault of the college they attended, ruled a federal judge. The Associated Press reported that the judge found that the college was not obligated to protect students from each others' dangerous activities.
Two students were killed during a helmet-free snowmobile ride at dawn after playing a drinking game, said the AP, and the school was sued by the father of one of the deceased. The injury did not occur on the college's premises.
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Lawn Mower Maker Sued for Design Negligence
According to the Register-Guard, an Oregon lawsuit is alleging that an accident involving a 4-year-old girl was due to a lawn mower's faulty design. The tot's leg was amputated when her father ran over her with a riding lawn mower.
The cutting blades of the mower were designed to stop turning when the mower was driven in reverse. However, the lawn mower was equipped with a switch that allowed that the operator to override that safety mechanism, reported the Register-Guard. The girl's parents are asking for $5.25 million.
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Restaurant Chain Sued for Party Gone Awry
Restaurant chain Red Robin has been sued for wrongful death by the family of a young employee who died after consuming alcohol at a party thrown for his 20th birthday.
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The Benton County Daily Record reports that the man was part of an out-of-state crew sent to open a new restaurant in Rogers, Arkansas. A townhouse was rented by Red Robin for male employees. The lawsuit alleges that beer, tequila, and whiskey were purchased by employees who were of legal drinking age, and who made them available to the deceased at his birthday party.
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Energy Company Sued in Roofer's Electrocution
The family of an deceased Texas roofer has sued Entergy, the local power company, for wrongful death, mental anguish, medical expenses, and funeral costs.
The Southeast Texas Record reports that the roofer was electrocuted after coming into contact with power lines. The roofer had been installing siding. The lawsuit claimed that the power lines were sagging, and too low to the ground.
According to the Southeast Texas Record, the lawsuit also named the roofer's employer as a defendant, and the company who rented the ...<< MORE >>
Indicted Officer Had Been Sued Previously
An Austin police officer under indictment for a 2007 rape and kidnapping had previously been sued by others he had arrested, reports the Austin American-Statesman.
The police officer was indicted for the kidnapping and rape of a woman taken into custody after a domestic disturbance call. Although his performance reviews were positive, a 1998 lawsuit accused the officer of bullying and bruising a man during an arrest for speeding.
In a separate lawsuit, the officer was accused of beating another man in front of his family. Both lawsuits were settled, ...<< MORE >>
Driver Sues Equine Owners, State Agency
A driver whose vehicle hit a horse is suing the equine's owners and the New Mexico State Transportation Department, reports the Associated Press.
According to the lawsuit, the horse was running loose on the highway. The plaintiff's vehicle moved into the path of another vehicle, causing "permanent serious injuries and damages." According to the AP, the complaint stated that a right-of-way fence near the crash site was down, and that the Transportation Department was responsible for inspections and repair of rights-of-way.
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Med Center Lawyers Want Class Action Dismissed
Attorneys for a regional medical center want an 11-year old class action related to the disposal of fetuses dismissed, reports the Sandusky Register. A former hospital worker had improperly disposed of fetal tissues, collecting them in glass bottles instead of disposing them via tissue grinder, the approved method.
This spurred a class action suit for emotional injury by 187 affected women, said the Sandusky Register.
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Mold Aggravated Ailment, Settlement Reached
A Minot, North Dakota man has received a $10,000 settlement for injuries suffered when he was cleaning up after a burst water pipe. The man claimed that mold exacerbated a previous respiratory condition, and sued the city of Minot, according to the Associated Press. The Associated Press said that the plaintiff had originally asked for $50,000.
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Cop Claims Lighthouse Conservancy Negligent
A police officer has filed a personal injury lawsuit against the Saugerties Lighthouse Conservancy, claiming that the conservancy did not properly maintain a public nature trail. According to the Kingston Daily Freeman, the cop was responding to a distress call when he fell on the trail and suffered permanent injuries.
The officer received Workers Compensation benefits and is now back on the job, reports the Daily Freeman.
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Gym Teacher Sued by Injured Weightlifter
A former student whose eye was injured by a broken exercise band has sued his gym teacher, reports the Richmond Register. The incident occured during a high-school weightlifting class in 2007.
According to the filing, the plaintiff claims that the teacher failed to supervise the student properly, or to keep the weightlifting equipment reasonably safe. The Richmond Register reported that the student was blinded in the left eye.
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Gas Company Not Accountable for Infant's Burns
An appeals court has found that the Southern California Gas Company cannot be held accountable for an infant burned in the bathtub, according to the Visalia Times-Delta.
The baby suffered second and third-degree burns during a bath in 2003, when her sister flushed the toilet and the water running into the bathtub became scalding. The lawsuit had alleged that the gas company had set the water heater's thermostat to 140 degrees, although the company itself recommended a setting of 120 degrees to avoid scalding.
The Visalia Times-Delta reported that the apartment's gas service had ...<< MORE >>
Mom Sues Self for Injuries Suffered by Baby
A woman whose infant son was brain-injured in a crash is suing herself for damages, reports the St. Clair Record.
The woman is listed as both plaintiff and defendant in the case. According to the lawsuit, the woman's vehicle was struck by an ambulance when she was attempting a left hand turn. The St. Clair Record says that the woman is also suing the ambulance service.
The complaint states that the mother "negligently and carelessly caused the vehicle she was operating to strike Defendant's emergency vehicle." ...<< MORE >>
South Carolina Train Wreck Hurt Hundreds, Study Says
A report released last week by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control concluded that over 850 people were injured by a 2005 train wreck in Graniteville, SC.
According to the Associated Press, the accident occurred when a chlorine-laden train care burst. A poisonous cloud was dispersed over the area. Nine people were killed, and the area evacuated.
The AP reported that over 25% of the victims suffered serious lung injuries. Mental health problems impacted an even greater percentage. A spokesperson for the railroad company said that all ...<< MORE >>
Palm Beach Should Have Prevented Eye Injury, Woman Claims
A Palm Beach woman whose eye was permanently damaged by a flying golf ball has sued the city of Palm Beach.
According to the Palm Beach Post, the woman alleges that the city should have installed landscaping, netting, or fences to protect pedestrians and cars. The Palm Beach Post said the woman's retina and macula were injured after being struck on a bike path near the golf course, leaving her partially blind.
The woman also sued the golfer who hit the ball for negligence, citing the golfer's alleged knowledge that she was an "erratic ...<< MORE >>
Lawsuit Alleges IBM Dumping Caused Injuries
eWEEK has reported that 90 plantiffs are suing computer giant IBM for damages associated with the contamination of the soil, air, and groundwater in the towns of Endicott and Union, New York.
A study by the New York State Department of Health showed that kidney cancers and congenital heart defects occurred disproportionately in Endicott, IBM's birthplace. The suit claims that IBM should have been aware that the volatile compounds that it had wrongfully discharged would migrate into homes, businesses, schools and churches located above the groundwater plume.
According to eWEEK, the complaints against IBM ...<< MORE >>
"Extreme Makeover" Construction Spurs Personal Injury Lawsuit
A Vermont man who was permanently injured during construction of a house for the television show "Extreme Makeover" has initiated a lawsuit.
According to the Associated Press, the manufacturer of the log home and the production company were named as defendants. The man fell 30 feet from the roof of the home as hundreds of workers rushed to build the house in a matter of days. The AP reported that the man's attorney stated his surprise that more participants were not hurt or killed.
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Dead Boston Man Not Accountable for Pal's Injury
The Boston Globe reported on an appellate court ruling that a man cannot be held accountable for negligence leading to an injury that happened after his demise.
While attending a barbecue at his dead friend's house, the plaintiff tripped over a 55-gallon drum in the garage and tore his rotator cuff. He then sued his friend's estate. According to the Boston Globe, the court held that even if the defendant created the hazard, his duty of care ceased when he died.
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Daughter Sues Slain Mom's Employers
The daughter of an Independence, Missouri woman killed while doing door-to-door surveys has sued her mother's employers, according to an Associated Press story.
The wrongful-death lawsuit alleges that the companies involved should have prevented the dangers and risks associated with conducting surveys, and provided the mother with protective equipment for defense. The woman disappeared while conducting door-to-door surveys in 2004. According to Associated Press reports, her remains were found by fishermen in 2007.
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Judge Errant in Allowing Testimony: Ford Verdict Reversed
The National Law Journal reports that a $60 million verdict against Ford was reversed by a Florida state appeals court, because the judge erroneously allowed testimony about other accidents involving the Ford Explorer without substantiating the similarity between those accidents and the accident in the case at hand.
According to the National Law Journal, the parents of a 17-year-old rollover fatality victim alleged that the Ford Explorer had handling and stability defects that caused the SUV to roll over instead of skid. They were awarded $60 million in a jury trial. An << MORE >>
Property Ownership Firm Must Pay $102.7 Million To Shooting Victim
According to the National Law Journal, a robbery victim who was shot in a shopping mall parking lot was awarded $102.7 million for medical expenses and lost earnings in a Florida state jury trial. The National Law Journal said that the victim was rendered quadraplegic when he was shot by an unknown assailant. The property ownership firm responsible for the parking lot was held to be negligent for not providing adequate safety.
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Former Cop Gets $15.7 Million Personal Injury Verdict
A PrimeNewswire story reports that a former LAPD cop received a $15.7 verdict for injuries suffered when he was struck by a dump truck operated under contract to the City of Los Angeles. The City of Los Angeles had attempted to settle with the plaintiff for only $50,000. While returning home from a stint providing security on a movie set, the highly-decorated former cop was hit by the truck, which was entering by a side road. PrimeNewswire said that the victim was dragged several feet by the truck, and suffered brain injuries.
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Paint Industry Wins Victory in Lead Poisoning Case
In a case with national implications for the paint industry, a Milwaukee County Circuit Court jury agreed that a young man ingested lead paint, but that the paint was not to blame for his mental retardation. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that defense lawyers successfully disputed that the plantiff had been brain-damaged by the paint, despite elevated levels of lead in his bloodstream and an IQ of 70. Instead, the defense pointed to other issues that impacted the plaintiff's health, including squalid living conditions and losing two sisters to drive-by shootings. Similar cases are currently pending nationwide, according to the ...<< MORE >>
Robert Aronov, New York Personal Injury Lawyer, Offers Important Tips on Choosing the Right Attorney
"Ask a prospective attorney, 'How many cases do you currently represent,'" Robert Aronov recommends. If the answer is many hundreds or thousands, ask the attorney how he or she will find time to give you and your case the personalized care you deserve, he adds.
"An attorney who obtains a decent financial settlement for clients but never takes the time to meet with them or to address their emotional needs, only heals part of their wounds," Aronov says. "Accidents victims have already forfeited some control of their lives. The last thing they need is to lose control over their own cases," he adds. "The reason we call our profession 'Personal Injury Law' is because the cases are very personal to those bringing them."
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It's Tiger v. 'Pit Bull': San Francisco Zoo Will Face Mark Geragos
Not many injury victims are hurt by an escaped tiger.
But the two brothers who survived a recent tiger attack at the San Francisco Zoo have hired attorney Mark Geragos to represent them as they contemplate filing a negligence lawsuit against the facility, which is a partnership between the city and the nonprofit San Francisco Zoological Society.
ABC News reports on January 1, 2008 that brothers Paul and Kulbir Dhaliwal have been released from San Francisco General Hospital and have already retained Geragos, a high-profile criminal defense attorney whose clients have included singer Michael Jackson, actress ...<< MORE >>
But the two brothers who survived a recent tiger attack at the San Francisco Zoo have hired attorney Mark Geragos to represent them as they contemplate filing a negligence lawsuit against the facility, which is a partnership between the city and the nonprofit San Francisco Zoological Society.
ABC News reports on January 1, 2008 that brothers Paul and Kulbir Dhaliwal have been released from San Francisco General Hospital and have already retained Geragos, a high-profile criminal defense attorney whose clients have included singer Michael Jackson, actress ...<< MORE >>
IHOP is a No Show: Plaintiff Gets $1.13 Million Default Judgment in Slip-Fall Case
The International House of Pancakes, better known as IHOP, failed to defend itself in a lawsuit filed by a man who tripped in one of its Texas restaurants and the judge awarded the patron a $1.13 million default, according to The Southeast Texas Record.
The legal journal reported on December 18, 2007 that the victim alleged he had just entered the IHOP when he tripped over rolled up floor mats. The suit also named the restaurants' manager.
The defendants had until December 17, 2007 to respond to the complaint but did not. The suit ...<< MORE >>
The legal journal reported on December 18, 2007 that the victim alleged he had just entered the IHOP when he tripped over rolled up floor mats. The suit also named the restaurants' manager.
The defendants had until December 17, 2007 to respond to the complaint but did not. The suit ...<< MORE >>
Country Singer Toby Keith and Family Win $2.8 Million in Wrongful Death Suit
An Oklahoma jury ruled that the March 24, 2001 death of H.K. Covel -- father of country music singer 'Toby Keith' Covel -- was due to negligence and awarded Keith and his family $2.8 million in damages.
According to a December 25, 2007 Associated Press dispatch, the operators of the bus that killed Covel were aware prior to the accident that the bus's brakes required repair. "The jury found no fault on the part of Mr. Covel in the wreck that claimed his life," the family's attorney told the newswire.
Although the bus did not precipitate the ...<< MORE >>
According to a December 25, 2007 Associated Press dispatch, the operators of the bus that killed Covel were aware prior to the accident that the bus's brakes required repair. "The jury found no fault on the part of Mr. Covel in the wreck that claimed his life," the family's attorney told the newswire.
Although the bus did not precipitate the ...<< MORE >>
Justice is Not Equal Even Measured from One County to the Next
"Human suffering may be worth less in Nashua (NH) than in [neighboring] Rockingham County."
So begins a feature article in the December 23, 2007 edition of the Nashua (NH) Telegraph that makes abundantly clear that the price of justice can vary considerably from one jurisdiction to the next.
The Telegraph article, written by Andrew Wolfe, notes that Nashua has a reputation for being stingy with its jury verdicts in personal injury cases.
One local lawyer told the paper that New Hampshire's major auto insurers are notorious for offering 'shockingly low' settlements to individuals injured in car accidents. ...<< MORE >>
So begins a feature article in the December 23, 2007 edition of the Nashua (NH) Telegraph that makes abundantly clear that the price of justice can vary considerably from one jurisdiction to the next.
The Telegraph article, written by Andrew Wolfe, notes that Nashua has a reputation for being stingy with its jury verdicts in personal injury cases.
One local lawyer told the paper that New Hampshire's major auto insurers are notorious for offering 'shockingly low' settlements to individuals injured in car accidents. ...<< MORE >>
'Million Dollar Verdict' Personal Injury Lawyers are a Rare Breed
Million dollar personal injury verdicts and the attorneys who obtain them are less common than many people think, given the headlines such awards usually attract.
According to the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, fewer than 1% of all U.S. lawyers are members of the group, which limits membership to those lawyers who have won million and multi-million dollar verdicts, awards and settlements.
Founded in 1993, the Forum says it has about 3,000 members located throughout the United States, as of November 28, 2007. ...<< MORE >>
According to the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, fewer than 1% of all U.S. lawyers are members of the group, which limits membership to those lawyers who have won million and multi-million dollar verdicts, awards and settlements.
Founded in 1993, the Forum says it has about 3,000 members located throughout the United States, as of November 28, 2007. ...<< MORE >>
Jury in Personal Injury Lawsuit Orders Otis Elevator to Pay $2.85 Million for Child's Escalator Accident
The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports in its December 22, 2007 edition that a jury has awarded a 13-year-old boy $2.85 million stemming from an escalator accident when he was 4-years-old.
The local jury also found that Otis Elevator Co., the maker of the escalator in question, should pay the boy's parent $250,000 each, the paper reports.
The lawyer for the boy had argued that the company was responsible because the settings on the specific escalator violated the company's own safety standards.
The child's hand was mangled after he fell on an escalator and his had was ...<< MORE >>
The local jury also found that Otis Elevator Co., the maker of the escalator in question, should pay the boy's parent $250,000 each, the paper reports.
The lawyer for the boy had argued that the company was responsible because the settings on the specific escalator violated the company's own safety standards.
The child's hand was mangled after he fell on an escalator and his had was ...<< MORE >>
Robert Aronov, New York Personal Injury Lawyer, Offers Tips for Those Involved in Holiday Car Accidents
Nothing can douse the holiday spirit faster than being involved in a car accident, especially one in which you or a loved one is injured. Yet, iced roads and too much holiday drinking too often do lead to accident and injury. For those who become accident victims, Robert Aronov & Associates, a leading New York personal injury law firm, offers five common sense recommendations.
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Urban Myths About Personal Injury Attorneys Get Repeated By Mainstream Media
A recent Letter to the Editor of The Joplin (MO) Globe bears repeating, because as it points out the mainstream media are too readily duped into repeating unsubstantiated myths about the alleged antics of personal liability attorneys and their clients.
"The Globe editors should be ashamed of themselves," writes Joplin resident Bill Fleischaker, for "publishing a total falsehood in the December 17 [2007] editorial, 'Jury Awards Beg for Common Sense.'"
Fleischaker fights back at the newspaper for giving credence to the urban myth of a lawsuit that resulted after a driver of a motor home put the vehicle ...<< MORE >>
"The Globe editors should be ashamed of themselves," writes Joplin resident Bill Fleischaker, for "publishing a total falsehood in the December 17 [2007] editorial, 'Jury Awards Beg for Common Sense.'"
Fleischaker fights back at the newspaper for giving credence to the urban myth of a lawsuit that resulted after a driver of a motor home put the vehicle ...<< MORE >>
D.C. Law Firm Files a $2 Billion 'Whistleblower' Submission with IRS
One of the world's largest companies has cheated on its taxes to the tune of more than $2 billion, according to papers filed with the IRS Whistleblower Office by a Washington D.C. law firm.
The submission, on behalf of a tax whistleblower, is the largest ever according to lawyers for the firm. The next largest submission was made earlier this year for a sum of about $1 billion.
"We have been keeping our eye on the tax exposure disclosures that publicly held companies have been making for the first time this year under FIN 48 and Sarbanes-Oxley, ...<< MORE >>
The submission, on behalf of a tax whistleblower, is the largest ever according to lawyers for the firm. The next largest submission was made earlier this year for a sum of about $1 billion.
"We have been keeping our eye on the tax exposure disclosures that publicly held companies have been making for the first time this year under FIN 48 and Sarbanes-Oxley, ...<< MORE >>
More Than 1 of Every 6 Americans Will Travel by Motor Vehicle This Christmas
AAA Chicago estimates that 53 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during this Christmas season. That is a fractional increase from the association's estimate in 2006.
Each year 7,000 highway deaths are associated with roughly 1.2 million weather related accidents.
"Slowing down or moving over near accident scenes, or where roadside assistance vehicles are stopped along the shoulder, can help keep emergency responders and motorists safe during the holiday travel season," says an AAA official. AAA notes that most states do require motorists to change lanes away from roadside emergency vehicles or ...<< MORE >>
Each year 7,000 highway deaths are associated with roughly 1.2 million weather related accidents.
"Slowing down or moving over near accident scenes, or where roadside assistance vehicles are stopped along the shoulder, can help keep emergency responders and motorists safe during the holiday travel season," says an AAA official. AAA notes that most states do require motorists to change lanes away from roadside emergency vehicles or ...<< MORE >>
Washington State Supreme Court Lets Emergency Responders Sue City of Seattle for Negligence
The Washington State Supreme Court ruled unaminmously that an injured Seattle firefighter and the widow of a Seattle police officer have the right to sue the city for negligence, according to an article in the Post-Intelligencer.
The court rejected Seattle's contention that such lawsuits are prohibited by the state constitutition, which the paper says grants sovereign immunity to cities.
In plain language, the city contended that it is protected from such lawsuits and the top court ruled "no" it's not!
The firefighter won a $1.8 million judgment against the city of Seattle in 2004, but the ...<< MORE >>
The court rejected Seattle's contention that such lawsuits are prohibited by the state constitutition, which the paper says grants sovereign immunity to cities.
In plain language, the city contended that it is protected from such lawsuits and the top court ruled "no" it's not!
The firefighter won a $1.8 million judgment against the city of Seattle in 2004, but the ...<< MORE >>
Supermarket Shopper Awared $110,000 By Maine Jury
Richard Houde, 58, received a $110,000 judgment for injuries he suffered when a filing cabinet struck him as it was being moved on a cart by a supermarket employee. The news was reported on December 12, 2007 by the Portland (Maine) Press Herald. The paper said that the supermarket, Shaw's, admitted that its employee was negligent in moving the filing cabinet.
The case was heard by a jury in the York County Superior Court.
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The case was heard by a jury in the York County Superior Court.
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Some Nevada Lawyers Decline to Accept Medical Malpractice Cases
The Las Vegas Business Press reports that some area law firms are no longer taking on medical malpractice cases in the wake of legislation enacted in 2002 and updated in 2004 that places caps on malpractice jury awards for non-economic damages.
Translated into plain language, since the lawyers and their clients can no longer win an unlimited judgment, some plaintiffs lawyers are avoiding medical malpractice cases altogether.
"We handle everything in the way of injury and death cases except medical malpractice. That's a recent development," one lawyer told the newspaper. "Up until the last few months, ...<< MORE >>
Translated into plain language, since the lawyers and their clients can no longer win an unlimited judgment, some plaintiffs lawyers are avoiding medical malpractice cases altogether.
"We handle everything in the way of injury and death cases except medical malpractice. That's a recent development," one lawyer told the newspaper. "Up until the last few months, ...<< MORE >>
Fifty-Five Year Old Man Receives $6 Million Accident Judgment
Walter Browning, a 55-year-old motorcyclist, received a $6 million jury award for injuries he suffered in a March 1, 2006 crash. The jury found that the driver of a Volvo tractor-trailer and the company she works for were negligent in causing the accident that left Browning with serious and permanently << MORE >>
Robert Aronov, New York Personal Injury Lawyer, Now Provides Five Area Offices
(Jamaica, New York: December 14, 2007) Robert Aronov & Associates, a leading New York personal injury law firm, has expanded the number of convenient area offices to five.
For New York clients, it means they can get the same high-quality, successful personal injury representation offered by Robert Aronov without having to travel a long distance for their initial consultation or subsequent visits.
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For New York clients, it means they can get the same high-quality, successful personal injury representation offered by Robert Aronov without having to travel a long distance for their initial consultation or subsequent visits.
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Connecticut Jury Awards $3.4 Million to Man Who Shot Himself With A Nail Gun
After eight hours of deliberations, a jury in Hartford, CT awarded $3.4 million to a 51-year-old carpenter who sustained injuries after he shot a nail gun into metal and it bounced back embedding itself in his brain.
According to a dispatch from The Associated Press, dated December 8, the jury concluded that while the injured man was 55% responsible for his own injuries, the maker of the nail gun and the retailer who ...<< MORE >>
According to a dispatch from The Associated Press, dated December 8, the jury concluded that while the injured man was 55% responsible for his own injuries, the maker of the nail gun and the retailer who ...<< MORE >>
Sick Charter Bus Driver Hit for $5.25 Million in Damages
The driver of a charter bus who exposed six school children and a chaperone to tuberculosis in 2004 was found negligent by a jury, which awarded those infected $5.25 million.
The jury held both the driver and his employer << MORE >>
The jury held both the driver and his employer << MORE >>
More Than 1,600 Will Be Injured This Month By Fires
Nearly 130,000 fires will be reported in December alone claiming over 400 lives and causing more than 1,600 injuries, according to The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI).
EFSI says that the number of children injured and killed by fires more than doubles during the holiday months. In addition, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates 3,300 residential fires originate from extension cords each year.
Meanwhile, more than a third of Americans ...<< MORE >>
Texas Led the Nation in Teen Driving Deaths - NHTSA
Speeding is the number one reason why police ticket Texas teens during the holiday season. This according to an Allstate Insurance Company holiday teen driving survey of more than 35 police departments across the Lone Star State that shows even seemingly common infractions can be deadly.
According to Allstate, speeding was by far the number one teen traffic violation statewide during the holiday months, with the Texas Department of Public Safety handing out more than 17,000 speeding tickets to young drivers during November and ...<< MORE >>
Car Drivers Cause Many Truck-Involved Fatalities
35 percent of all truck-involved highway fatalities occur in a truck's blind spots (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration).
According to three different studies - including the AAA Traffic Safety Foundation and DOT, 3 out of 4 truck-involved fatalities are unintentionally initiated by car drivers.
According to the Ohio Highway ...<< MORE >>
According to three different studies - including the AAA Traffic Safety Foundation and DOT, 3 out of 4 truck-involved fatalities are unintentionally initiated by car drivers.
According to the Ohio Highway ...<< MORE >>
Side Impact Collisions Contribute Significantly to the Injury & Death of Children
Research shows that one in four accidents resulting in the injury or death of a child is caused by side-impact collisions, according to a news release issued on December 14, 2007 by RECARO. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that as many as seven out of 10 children are not properly restrained in child seats, the company said.
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