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Personal Injury & Medical Malpractice
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March 27, 2024
Marriott Hit With Negligence Suit After Break-In, Sex Assault
An Air Force major and his wife are accusing Marriott International Inc. and owners of a hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina, of negligent security, alleging that a repeat trespasser well known to hotel staff sexually assaulted and robbed the major in his room, according to a newly filed federal lawsuit.
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March 27, 2024
Travis Scott Says He Had No Duty Over Astroworld's Safety
Rapper Travis Scott, the safety director of the 2021 Astroworld Festival and other defendants have asked a Texas judge to free them from a slew of lawsuits stemming from the concert's fatal crowd crush, with roughly two months until the first plaintiff is set to go to trial.
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March 27, 2024
Atty's 'Bare Minimum' Sank Negligence Death Suit, Panel Says
A New Jersey appellate panel has backed the dismissal of a suit accusing a nursing home of negligently failing to prevent a patient's purportedly fatal fall, ruling a trial court was within its discretion in finding the plaintiff's attorney did "the bare minimum" to produce expert reports and the plaintiff fell short of the threshold to reopen discovery.
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March 27, 2024
HR Services Co. May Be Liable In Harassment Suit, Court Says
A Texas appellate court said Wednesday that more fact-finding is needed to determine whether a professional employer organization could be on the hook for a sexual harassment claim brought by a cafeteria worker, but found that the company is, legally, an employer.
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March 27, 2024
LG Chem Mostly Wins Discovery Feud In Vape Battery Suit
A New Jersey appellate court on Wednesday allowed an LG Corp. unit to prevail on 21 out of 22 discovery challenges in a suit over an exploding vape pen battery, saying the majority of the plaintiff's requests were overly broad and not tailored to his claims.
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March 27, 2024
Casino Beats Suit Over Diabetic Customer's Fall
A now-shuttered floating casino that was moored in Lake Michigan can't be held liable for the fall of a longtime patron who injured her hip after tripping in a hallway that connected two boats, an Illinois federal court has ruled, finding the patron couldn't support any element of her premises liability claim.
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March 27, 2024
Ill. Court Revives Med Mal Suit Over Gauze Left In Sinus
An Illinois appeals court has revived a woman's suit against her doctor and SIU Physicians & Surgeons Inc. over gauze that she alleges was negligently left in her sinuses after a procedure, finding there's a factual dispute over when the woman found out about the gauze.
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March 27, 2024
Camden Diocese Insurers Demand Ch. 11 Plan Be Halted
Several insurers of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden told a New Jersey bankruptcy judge Wednesday that the approval of the debtor's third modified Chapter 11 plan stripped the insurers' rights and urged the court to implement a stay on the order.
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March 27, 2024
Fla. Panel Reverses $43M Judgment In Tobacco Suit
Florida's Third District Court of Appeal on Wednesday reversed a $43 million judgment against Philip Morris USA Inc. in a wrongful death case, issuing a split decision stating that hearsay testimony allowed during the trial wasn't offered to prove that the female decedent believed filtered cigarettes were safe.
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March 27, 2024
Feds Say Murdaugh Lied, Broke Plea Deal Over $9M Fraud
Alex Murdaugh, the South Carolina attorney serving a life sentence for killing his wife and son, was dishonest with the government and should potentially face a harsher prison sentence than the one proposed in a plea agreement on federal charges of stealing at least $9 million from clients, prosecutors said.
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March 27, 2024
CoreLogic Sued For Violating NJ Judicial Protections Law
A proposed class action removed to New Jersey federal court on Tuesday accuses property data company CoreLogic of failing to comply with a state law requiring it to delete records of certain public officials, including judges and law enforcement officials.
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March 27, 2024
Insurer Ducks Coverage Of Florida Law Firm Dispute
A personal injury law firm involved in a joint venture dispute has no insurance coverage for the litigation, a Florida federal judge has ruled, finding its policy only provided professional services liability, not anything else.
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March 27, 2024
Atty's Trade Libel Suit Against Family Can Go On, Judge Says
A New Jersey federal judge is allowing class action attorney Carl J. Mayer to move forward with a lawsuit alleging his brother and cousins falsely accused the lawyer of stealing his father's money, ruling that Mayer's claims are not time-barred and that he has pleaded enough facts to support his allegations.
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March 26, 2024
9th Circ. Frees College From Off-Campus Rape Suit
The Ninth Circuit says a Washington university does not need to face claims by a woman who was raped at an off-campus party during her freshman year, as it was expected to do following a state supreme court ruling in the school's favor.
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March 26, 2024
'Landmark' Trans Women Prison Housing Deal Gets Final OK
A Colorado state judge on Tuesday approved a consent decree between the state and a class of transgender women who sued over dangerous housing conditions in state prisons and now hope the plan to accommodate their needs will spread to other states.
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March 26, 2024
Web Designer To Get Atty Fees After High Court Win
A federal judge on Tuesday said a Christian website designer and her company are entitled to attorney fees and costs after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that Colorado can't force her to create wedding websites for same-sex couples.
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March 26, 2024
Insurer Wants $29M Treble Damages Ruling Reversed In NC
An insurer has asked a North Carolina state appeals court to overturn a nearly $29 million ruling penalizing it for failing to defend an employee who crashed a company truck, killing his colleague, citing a policy exclusion for employee injury cases it said the trial court ignored.
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March 26, 2024
Conn. Fertility Doctor Says Law Doesn't Support Distress Claim
A retired fertility doctor facing a lawsuit for allegedly impregnating a patient with his own sperm wants a Connecticut state court judge to dismiss a claim for negligent infliction of emotional distress, arguing that the accusation amounts to medical malpractice and the plaintiff failed to clear a mandatory procedural hurdle.
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March 26, 2024
Baltimore Bridge Collapse: What We Know So Far
The overnight collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, after being struck by a container carrier Tuesday, will trigger multiple inquiries into maritime and vessel safety, as well as bridge design and engineering standards, that experts say will have significant implications for future lawsuits, regulatory actions and infrastructure rebuilding efforts.
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March 26, 2024
Stakes High As Pa. Justices To Mull Gov't Suit Damages Cap
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court's recent decision to review the constitutionality of the $250,000 damages cap for personal injury suits against state agencies sets the stage for two extremes: absolute immunity or limitless liability, experts say.
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March 26, 2024
Marriott Guests Call For Sanctions In Discrimination Suit
Marriott Detroit guests claim they are being "improperly" denied discovery in their discrimination and harassment lawsuit against the hotel chain and urged a federal court on Sunday to issue sanctions as a result.
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March 26, 2024
Combat Arms Earplugs Settlement Moves To Final Resolution
More than 249,000 U.S. service members who claimed they suffered permanent hearing loss due to 3M's allegedly faulty combat earplugs have signed onto the $6 billion settlement, boasting "more than 99%" participation, according to a Tuesday announcement by the company.
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March 26, 2024
Opioid Public Nuisance Claims 'Unique,' Ohio High Court Told
Counsel for two Ohio counties that won a $650 million verdict against Walmart, CVS and Walgreens told the Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday that opioids are a "unique" problem during oral arguments about whether the counties' public nuisance claims are blocked by the state's product liability law.
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March 26, 2024
Widow Gets $1.75M Verdict In SC Asbestos Death Suit
A South Carolina jury has awarded a widow $1.75 million in damages from gasket-maker John Crane Inc. in a suit over her husband's death from asbestos-related mesothelioma, finding the company negligent.
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March 26, 2024
Insurer's Intervention In Sex-Trafficking Coverage Suit Limited
Starr Indemnity & Liability Co. can intervene in another insurer's suit against a hospitality company over coverage for sex trafficking allegations, but only if the other carrier's policy isn't rescinded and the case proceeds to a second phase of litigation, a Texas federal court has ruled.
Expert Analysis
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Opinion
Federal Restrictions On Phthalates Are Long Overdue
The health risks of phthalates — chemicals used to increase the durability and flexibility of plastics, and found in hundreds of household products — have been known for decades, so the lack of comprehensive federal policies restricting their use is a problem, given the compelling warnings of their hazards, says Vineet Dubey at Custodio & Dubey.
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Some Client Speculations On AI And The Law Firm Biz Model
Generative artificial intelligence technologies will put pressure on the business of law as it is structured currently, but clients may end up with more price certainty for legal services, and lawyers may spend more time being lawyers, says Jonathan Cole at Melody Capital.
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And Now A Word From The Panel: MDLs As A Last Resort
While the number of individual actions included in multidistrict litigation proceedings has exploded in recent years, it's important to remember that the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation views creation of an MDL as something that should happen only after consideration of all other options, says Alan Rothman at Sidley.
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A Lawyer's Guide To Approaching Digital Assets In Discovery
The booming growth of cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens has made digital assets relevant in many legal disputes but also poses several challenges for discovery, so lawyers must garner an understanding of the technology behind these assets, the way they function, and how they're held, says Brett Sager at Ehrenstein Sager.
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Opinion
High Court's Ethics Statement Places Justices Above The Law
The U.S. Supreme Court justices' disappointing statement on the court's ethics principles and practices reveals that not only are they satisfied with a status quo in which they are bound by fewer ethics rules than other federal judges, but also that they've twisted the few rules that do apply to them, says David Janovsky at the Project on Government Oversight.
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Opinion
Time For Law Schools To Rethink Unsung Role Of Adjuncts
As law schools prepare for the fall 2023 semester, administrators should reevaluate the role of the underappreciated, indispensable adjunct, and consider 16 concrete actions to improve the adjuncts' teaching experience, overall happiness and feeling of belonging, say T. Markus Funk at Perkins Coie, Andrew Boutros at Dechert and Eugene Volokh at UCLA.
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Perspectives
Why Trump Sexual Abuse Verdict May Be Hard To Replicate
Survivors of sexual assault may be emboldened to file suit after writer E. Jean Carroll’s trial victory against former President Donald Trump, but before assigning too much significance to the verdict, it’s worth noting that the case’s unique constellation of factors may make it the exception rather than the rule, says Jessica Roth at Cardozo School of Law.
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What Texas Misrepresentation Ruling Means For Insurers
The Texas Supreme Court's recent decision in American National Insurance v. Arce, confirming that insurers must prove intent to deceive in order to rescind coverage based on material misrepresentation, solidifies additional burdens for insurers to consider during both the underwriting and claims adjudication processes, say Josh Pedelty and Javon Johnson at Husch Blackwell.
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Tips For In-House Legal Leaders In A Challenging Economy
Amid today's economic and geopolitical uncertainty, in-house legal teams are running lean and facing increased scrutiny and unique issues, but can step up and find innovative ways to manage outcomes and capitalize on good business opportunities, says Tim Parilla at LinkSquares.
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PFAS Coverage Litigation Strategy Lessons For Policyholders
While policyholders' efforts to recover insurance proceeds for PFAS-related costs are in the early stages, it appears from litigation so far that substantial coverage should be available for PFAS-related liabilities, including both defense costs and indemnity payments in connection with those liabilities, say Benedict Lenhart and Alexis Dyschkant at Covington.
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When Are Cos. Liable For Building Customers' Designs?
The Sixth Circuit's recent decision in Cash-Darling v. Recycling Equipment serves as a warning to manufacturers regarding the extent to which they may become involved in customers' design decisions without exposing themselves to liability, and highlights the fact-sensitive nature of such cases, says Timothy Freeman at Tanenbaum Keale.
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Exxon Ruling Highlights Additional Insured Coverage Conflict
Despite the Texas Supreme Court's recent decision in Exxon Mobil v. National Union, finding that contractual minimum insurance requirements cannot be used as a ceiling to bar umbrella coverage, the case nevertheless illustrates insurers' aggressive tactics to reduce the scope of additional insured coverage, say David Kroeger and Steven Tinetti at Jenner & Block.
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What Associates Need To Know Before Switching Law Firms
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
The days of staying at the same firm for the duration of one's career are mostly a thing of the past as lateral moves by lawyers are commonplace, but there are several obstacles that associates should consider before making a move, say attorneys at HWG.
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Considerations For Assumption Of Risk In NY Sports Suits
The New York Court of Appeals' recent opinion in two cases on the assumption of risk doctrine in sports activities demonstrates that the doctrine serves as a complete bar to recovery in limited circumstances, despite the enactment of Civil Practice Law and Rules Article 14-A, say Frank Izzo and Joseph Pidel at Rivkin Radler.
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A Case For Sharing Mediation Statements With Counterparties
In light of a potential growing mediation trend of only submitting statements to the mediator, litigants should think critically about the pros and cons of exchanging statements with opposing parties as it could boost the chances of reaching a settlement, says Arthur Eidelhoch at Eidelhoch Mediation.