News from April 2022
Data analyst shows opioid prescriptions skyrocket in West Virginia, above national average
CHARLESTON – An analytics analyst in a trial accusing suppliers of causing an opioid epidemic said the amount of prescriptions for pills in West Virginia increased dramatically between 1997 and 2017, with 2011 being the peak year.
Univ. of Colorado grads can't sue for alleged $1 billion mismanagement of funds
DENVER (Legal Newsline) - A group of disgruntled University of Colorado graduates didn’t have standing to sue a foundation that supports the school for mismanagement they said resulted in $1 billion in lost income, an appeals court ruled.
Former clients sue personal injury firm, allege huge markup on administrative fees
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (Legal Newsline) – A personal injury firm is accused of lying to clients about what a $195 administrative fee is actually used for.
$4 million malpractice verdict reversed over daughter's lifetime damages
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - A Florida appeals court reversed a $4 million wrongful death verdict after a plaintiff attorney urged jurors to consider the “long, long life” over which an alleged malpractice victim’s daughter would have to think about her father’s death.
Lawsuit filed over benzophenone in Neutrogena skin cream
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – A class action lawsuit alleges consumers would not have purchased Neutrogena Healthy Skin Firming Cream with Broad Spectrum had they known it contained benzophenone.
Troutman Pepper Partner Dave Meyers Named Among ‘Virginia’s Go To Lawyers’ for Business Law
Troutman Pepper Partner Dave Meyers Named Among ‘Virginia’s Go To Lawyers’ for Business Law.
Ninth Circuit sends climate case back to California state court
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - Three California counties will be able to continue their lawsuits against the oil industry in their home courts, after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected arguments their claims based on global warming raised issues of federal and international law that required them to remain in federal court.
Fitness studio loses appeal for compensation over Gov. Whitmer’s Covid shutdown
LANSING, Mich. (Legal Newsline) - A Michigan fitness studio isn’t entitled to compensation for the time it was shut down under Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s emergency Covid-19 regulations, an appeals court ruled, reversing a lower-court decision that kept the lawsuit alive. The fact the Michigan Supreme Court later ruled the governor exceeded her authority didn’t affect the outcome of the case.
Company finds trouble for not offering Spanish-speaking employee a contract in his language
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – A property manager company failed properly present an arbitration clause to a Spanish-speaking gardener it hired who later sued it.
PFAS class action lawsuit filed over Burger King packaging
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) – A class action lawsuit against Burger King says it lied to customers that its products are safe and sustainable.
Tobacco plaintiff allowed to argue his last cigarette should have been safer
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - A Massachusetts appeals court ordered another trial over whether RJ Reynolds should have sold safer cigarettes, ruling a judge erroneously told jurors a safer design had to have been available before the plaintiff became addicted to cigarettes.
Lawsuit: After millions spent on advertising, Facebook pulled plug
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) – Shared.com is suing Facebook’s parent company, Meta Platforms, claiming it violated the terms of an agreement to advertise on the social media platform.
Jones Day ranked among world’s leading international arbitration firms in Global Arbitration Review's GAR 30
Jones Day ranked among world’s leading international arbitration firms in Global Arbitration Review's GAR 30.
AG Miller appointment calendar underscores criticism that he’s 'phoning it in' at work
DES MOINES, Iowa (Legal Newsline) - One of Brenna Bird’s recurring messages in her campaign as a Republican candidate for Attorney General is that incumbent Democrat Tom Miller, after 44 years as the state’s chief prosecutor, is simply going through the motions at the office.
Litigation services pro wants cut of law firm's fees from Woolsey Fire settlements
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Legal Newsline) – A California law firm is accused of not paying a litigation services professional it retained to push mass tort cases that turned into a $2.2 billion settlement.
Federal Fortnite lawsuit barely alive after $26M settlement in North Carolina
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) – The maker of the video game Fortnite says a federal class action against it over in-game purchases must be thrown out of court.
Neurologist to probe brain of teacher's assistant accused of child porn
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline) – A former Arkansas private school teaching assistant accused of child pornography has asked to delay his criminal trial to determine the extent of damage caused by a stroke he suffered before he was born.
PFAS litigation evolves into consumer class action challenging Burt's Bees marketing
OAKLAND, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - Clorox has joined the many companies facing lawsuits over chemicals known as PFAS, as a class action lawsuit alleges Burt's Bees Lip Products are contaminated with them.
The Alzheimer’s Association Launches Legal Industry Leadership Council with Law Firms Michael Best & Reed Smith
The Alzheimer’s Association Launches Legal Industry Leadership Council with Law Firms Michael Best & Reed Smith.
Opioid trial continues without Janssen; expert says oversupply caused crisis
CHARLESTON – Janssen settled with West Virginia, but the state trial continues against opioid suppliers Teva, Cephalon and Allergen continues.