Archive for July, 2007

Railroad Worker Files $1 Million Claim against Employer

A Union Pacific employee claims the company failed to ensure worker safety, which led to an accident that caused him severe injuries.

Ethan Allen Accident Inspires New Law

A navigation bill that was recently amended as a result of the capsizing of a tour boat on Lake George in New York State has been signed into law.

Attorneys Say NTSB's Comair Crash Ruling Will Have No Bearing in Court

Lawyers for both the airline and victims' families say opinions of the National Transportation Safety Board have historically not been admissible as evidence in lawsuits.

Son's TASER Death Prompts Parents' $2 Million Lawsuit

The parents of an Arizona teen who died 11 hours after being subdued by police with a TASER device have begun legal proceedings against the city of Gilbert, seeking $2 million in damages.

Guidant Settles 4000 Claims to the Tune of $195 Million

In a July 14th out-of-court settlement, the Guidant division of Boston Scientific resolved 4000 claims stemming from the 2005 recall of its implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD), avoiding a potentially large jury award.

Ford Ordered to Pay $6 Million to Paralyzed Man

The Ford Motor Co. was recently ordered to pay $6 million after a tire blow-out resulted in a rollover accident that left a Florida man paralyzed.

Lab Worker’s Lymphoma Death Blamed on Benzene Exposure

A Texas woman filed suit last week against 25 oil and chemical companies on behalf of her late spouse, who she believes contracted non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and died due to benzene exposure.

Texas Couple Sues 16 Companies for Asbestos Exposure

A Texas man filed suit Monday against 16 companies, claiming that asbestos exposure over the past two decades contributed to his poor health.

Kentucky Woman Sues over Husband’s Death in Benzene, Petroleum Naphtha Case

A Kentucky woman filed suit last week in an Illinois court against 17 defendants in the death of her husband, which she claims was caused by his exposure to benzene and petroleum naphtha.

DuPont Co., EPA Reach Hefty Settlement over Emissions

The DuPont Co. and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reached a settlement last week, when DuPont agreed to clean up harmful air emissions from sulfuric acid plants in Louisiana, Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky.

Families of OxyContin Victims Share Their Grief in Court

OxyContin victims and their families gave emotional testimony before a federal judge in the high profile case of three Purdue Pharma executives who pleaded guilty to downplaying OxyContin's risk of abuse and addiction.

Convicted Quintuple Murderer to Pay Child Support While Incarcerated

Convicted murderer Vincent Brothers must pay child support for his remaining daughter while he is in prison, according to an order issued by the Court of Appeals in Fresno last week.

Lindsay Lohan Arrested on Second Drunk Driving Offense

Actress Lindsay Lohan was arrested early Tuesday morning in Santa Monica on suspicion of drunk driving, driving with a suspended license, and cocaine possession.

OxyContin Maker, Executives Hit with $634.5 Million Fine

A federal judge Friday ordered the maker of OxyContin and three of the company's executives to pay $634.5 million for making false statements about OxyContin's potential for abuse.

Medicaid HMO Faces Multi Million Dollar Fine

A managed health care company in Georgia was hit with a $3.7 million fine last week for failing to meet contractual obligations and provide timely authorizations for critical services.

Asbestos Discovery May Seal Fate of Fort Bragg's NCO Club

The fate of Fort Bragg’s Noncommissioned Officers’ Club will be up for debate at an officials’ meeting today after an asbestos discovery earlier this year closed the building down.

Boston Scientific Agrees to $195 Million Settlement for Recalled Heart Monitoring Devices

Boston Scientific announced on July 13 that it will pay $195 million to resolve nearly 4,000 claims involving recalled pacemakers and heart defibrillators produced by Guidant Corp., which it purchased last year.

Minnesota Governor Pushes Forward with Miner Cancer Studies

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty outlined ideas for three studies of Iron Range miners Monday in an effort to satisfy lawmakers who are awaiting answers regarding the relationship between asbestos and taconite exposure and mesothelioma.

Proposed Bill Aims to Give FDA Control over Cigarette Ingredients

A proposed bill that would give the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate the way tobacco products are made is expected to win Senate Health Committee approval during a vote on Wednesday.

Cigarette Ban Up in Smoke for Jackson County Recreational Areas

A proposal set forth by the Jackson County Parks and Recreations Department to ban smoking in outdoor recreational facilities around the county was struck down on Tuesday.

California, Federal Maritime Officials Battle Over Military Ghost Ship Disposal

The U.S. Maritime Administration is swimming in choppy waters with California officials over the disposal of 53 obsolete military ships that are releasing toxic paint, asbestos, and other contaminated materials into Suisun Bay.

Florida Man Sues Lockheed over Beryllium Poisoning

A Florida man filed suit last week against Lockheed Martin Corp. and others, claiming that he and his family contracted beryllium disease from chemical exposure at a former weapons manufacturing plant years ago.

California Gas and Electric Company Found Guilty of Violating Asbestos Regulations

A San Diego utility company was found guilty in federal court Friday of violating environmental safety regulations through the mishandling of asbestos-laden material.

Connecticut School Board Allows Drug-Dealing Teacher to Return to Classroom

A former New Haven school math teacher convicted of selling drugs was given a second chance at his career Thursday, making him the first person in Connecticut to earn back a revoked teaching license.

Major new motorcycle crash study gets underway

Twenty-six years after the last major field research study of U.S. motorcycle accidents, a new study is poised to shed further light on the causes behind motorcycle accidents and their effects.

Adult Pot Law Upheld in Santa Barbara Court

A city council challenge to a new law that makes it a low priority for police officers to bust adults for marijuana crimes was thrown out by a Santa Barbara judge Tuesday.

Judge Allows Explosion Investigation to Remain Under Wraps

A judge in Brevard County, Florida, has denied a woman's request to learn what investigators have discovered about an apartment explosion that left two dead.

Virginia Law Affects Adoption Proceedings for Biological Parents

A Virginia paternity law went into effect July 1 that changes the process by which a biological father’s parental rights are terminated in adoption proceedings.

California Sees Decline in Work-Based Health Coverage

According to a UCLA study released Wednesday, fewer than half of California residents currently receive insurance benefits through their employers. The rest are either covered through a spouse or government program, or remain uninsured.

$54 Million Awarded in New Mexico Nursing Home Case

A jury in New Mexico recently awarded $54 million to the family of a nursing home resident who died of untreated internal bleeding.

Playground Injury May Prompt Lawsuit

The parents of a third-grader injured at a Colorado school playground have filed a notice indicating their intent to sue the school district and the builders of the playground equipment.

Jury Selection to Begin in International Pesticides Lawsuit

Jury selection will begin this week in Los Angeles County Superior Court in five lawsuits alleging that more than 5,000 Central American agricultural workers became sterile due to exposure to pesticides.

No DUI Charges for Bears’ Johnson

Police announced Thursday that Terry “Tank” Johnson, former tackle for the Chicago Bears, will not face charges related to his June 22 arrest on suspicion of drunk driving.

Paralyzed Man Wins $11.7 Million in Medical Malpractice Suit

A jury in Orange County, California, recently awarded $11.7 million to a man who had a stroke after doctors neglected to treat an infection that spread to his brain.

Man Files Cancer Lawsuit against Energizer

A Florida man filed suit earlier this week against Energizer Battery Inc., claiming that his exposure to chemical dust at one of the company’s plants caused his cancer.

Injured Motorcyclist Sues Tennessee County for Weed Overgrowth

Hawkins County, Tennessee, has been named as the defendant in a lawsuit filed by a man who claims that overgrown vegetation on a county road caused him to crash his motorcycle.