News from May 2020
Angelos waves white flag on thousands of asbestos cases after firm can't convince lawmakers to help
BALTIMORE (Legal Newsline) - Having failed to convince Maryland legislators to pass a measure that would turn them into courthouse gold, the Angelos law firm, which has driven asbestos litigation in the state for decades, is dumping hundreds of lawsuits a month in an acknowledgment it never had the evidence to back them up.
Trial lawyers get win in slip-and-fall case that reached Wisconsin Supreme Court
MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) – The Wisconsin Supreme Court has given slip-and-fall plaintiffs a boost, ruling that they don’t need to pinpoint the exact moment a liquid is spilled – only that it was there long enough that the defendant had constructive notice of the spill.
Campus police not given immunity from Texas wrongful death lawsuit over shooting of student
AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline) – A private university in Texas won’t be entitled to immunity from a lawsuit brought by the parents of a man shot by one of its law enforcement officers.
Democrats unhappy with absentee ballot procedure in Oklahoma
OKLAHOMA CITY (Legal Newsline) – A lawsuit by Oklahoma Democrats and a national committee challenges how voters will cast their ballots during the coronavirus pandemic.
Cancer patient sues stem cell treatment center, says Gandhi would be ashamed
SAN DIEGO (Legal Newsline) – A cancer patient has filed a class action lawsuit over the alleged ineffectiveness of stem cell therapy.
Colleges say protection from lawsuits will be key to reopening during COVID-19 pandemic
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – Colleges and universities have written a letter to Congressional leaders that explains their need for protection from lawsuits when they reopen to students.
Lawsuit that says high-speed chases cause more injuries in black neighborhoods allowed to proceed
LANSING, Mich. (Legal Newsline) – The State of Michigan cannot use the Governmental Tort Liability Act to fight lawsuits over fatal traffic accidents involving the State Police in Flint.
Lawyers' attempt to link articles on pelvic mesh problems to doctor who recommended it fails
HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) – Medical journal articles were properly excluded from a pelvic mesh trial, the Connecticut Supreme Court has decided in ruling against plaintiffs suing their health care provider.
Drug-maker wins Pradaxa lawsuit over woman's fatal GI bleed
HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) – The maker of the blood-thinner Pradaxa has successfully fought off a lawsuit that blamed it for a Connecticut woman’s death.
Ryder's troubles lead to stockholder lawsuit from public pension
MIAMI (Legal Newsline) – A Florida public pension has hired private lawyers to sue a company it once held stock in.
There's too much empty space in movie theater candy, lawsuit complains
TRENTON, N.J. (Legal Newsline) – Class action lawyers have hit Nestle with a lawsuit over the empty space in theater candy.
Letter from 200+ business groups asks Congress for temporary protections from coronavirus lawsuits
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – More than 200 business organizations on Wednesday submitted a letter to members of Congress that asks for help with a possible flood of lawsuits when the companies they represent reopen their doors.
In case of 8-year-old girl hit by truck while crossing highway to get to school bus, driver is not liable
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Legal Newsline) – A school bus driver alleged to have partly caused the death of an eight-year-old girl who was run over by a truck is entitled to immunity from a lawsuit.
Asbestos testimony allowed against company ID'd by 'their K and stuff'
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) – A former maker of asbestos-containing pipe might have thought it had avoided paying a $1.6 million verdict, but the California Supreme Court has given new life to the lawsuit.
Lawyers who asked for fees 40x the settlement they negotiated dealt $280K blow
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – Plaintiffs lawyers shouldn’t have been awarded $280,000 for negotiating a $15,000 settlement, a Los Angeles appeals court has ruled.
Lawsuit challenges whether shoes at Cole Haan's outlets are truly on sale
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – The shoe store chain Cole Haan has been accused of creating fictitious original prices on its products in order to make sale prices seem more impactful.
Weight Watchers accused of cheating during coronavirus
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) – Weight Watchers continues to charge dieters a full monthly membership and an additional fee during the coronavirus pandemic, a new class action lawsuit says.
Ninth Circuit breathes new life into climate change lawsuits of San Francisco and Oakland against Big Oil
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has reversed a federal judge’s dismissal of climate change lawsuits against oil companies including ExxonMobil, BP and Chevron by the cities of Oakland and San Francisco, setting the stage for them to be tried in a more favorable California state court.
Lawyers spent millions on talc ads as J&J pulls Baby Powder. Is a settlement coming?
Lawyers spent more this year on advertisements seeking clients for talc lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson than any other product, even as J&J announced plans to pull talc-containing Baby Powder off the market.
Supreme Court considers whether lawyers can be forced to pay state bar dues
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Supreme Court was due to discuss May 21 whether to fully review a case involving attorneys objecting to being compelled to join the Wisconsin state bar and pay fees.