Brianna Smith, Author at Legal Reader

Brianna Smith is a freelance writer and editor in Southwest Michigan. A graduate of Grand Valley State University, Brianna has a passion for politics, social issues, education, science, and more. When she’s not writing, she enjoys the simple life with her husband, daughter, and son.

Six New York Hospitals Agree to Repay Patients Illegally Charged for Rape Examinations

December 10, 2018

Last month, six hospitals in New York agreed to repay sexual assault victims who were illegally forced to pay for their own rape examinations, sometimes to the tune of $3,000 when the procedure should have been “billed to the state or their insurers.” According to Attorney General Barbara Underwood, the hospitals “wrongly billed victims for at least 200 forensic rape exams in recent years and had collections agencies go after some women who failed to pay.”

Image of A woman wearing brightly colored leggings

Clothing Supplier Sues LuLaRoe for $49M Over Failure to Pay Bills

December 10, 2018

Many people know of LuLaRoe for its stylish clothing items. However, few may be aware that the company recently came under fire in a new lawsuit alleging it hasn’t been paying all of its bills lately. According to the lawsuit filed in a California Superior Court, LuLaRoe’s chief clothing supplier, Providence Industries, “is suing the company for nearly $49 million in a lawsuit claiming the multi-level marketing company has failed to pay its bills for seven months.”

Pfizer World Headquarters in Manhattan, New York, New York

Pfizer Recalls Thermacare HeatWraps Over Leak Concerns

December 10, 2018

Have you ever used a heat wrap to help alleviate muscle or joint pain? If so, you may have used a wrap that was recently recalled. Earlier this month, Pfizer issued a recall of certain lots of its eight-hour Thermacare HeatWraps. The wraps are often used to alleviate “joint, muscle and menstrual pain” and were recalled after it was discovered they might leak.

Lawsuit Between UC Berkeley and Young America’s Foundation (YAF) Reaches Settlement

December 9, 2018

Earlier this month, UC Berkeley announced that it agreed to settle a lawsuit filed against the school involving allegations of discrimination “against high-profile speakers invited by conservative student groups.” The suit was filed back in April 2017 by Young America’s Foundation (YAF) and Berkeley College Republicans (BCR) and alleged that the university violated their First Amendment rights, among others. According to the settlement agreement, the university will pay “a one-time $70,000 payment to cover the plaintiff’s attorney costs, as well as a revision of the campus Major Events Policy.”

Image of Merrimack County Courthouse, Concord, New Hampshire

Judge Rules in Favor of Breastfeeding Mother After Wrongful Termination

December 9, 2018

A judge in Merrimack County recently ruled in favor of a mother who sued the New Hampshire Department and Health and Human Services over allegations of wrongful termination. According to the lawsuit, the mother requested breastfeeding accommodations at her job. She was eventually “fired in September 2012 due to unresolved issues concerning when and where she could breastfeed her newborn son during the workday.”

Family of Ashley Ferguson Jones Files Wrongful Death Suit After She was Struck and Killed by Tractor Trailer

December 9, 2018

Back on December 1, 2016, a young mother was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer when she pulled off to the right shoulder on Interstate 95 in Old Lyme to check on her baby in the back seat of her car. Now, her family decided to file a wrongful death lawsuit in U.S. District Court in New Haven and is seeking $30 million.

Planet Fitness location in Ypsilanti Twp., Michigan

Planet Fitness Accused of Discrimination, Sexual Harassment in New Lawsuit

December 8, 2018

If you’re familiar with Planet Fitness, you may know the gym is popular for its affordable pricing and judgment-free workout environment. In fact, the gym’s ‘Judgement-free zone’ slogan is something that Planet Fitness prides itself on, according to CEO Chris Rondeau. The slogan is also one of the reasons why the brand is growing so fast and why it has been “adding 200 new clubs a year,” according to Rondeau.

Image of the Recalled Skip Hop Highchairs

Skip Hop Recalls More than 32,000 High Chairs After Legs Detach

December 8, 2018

Skip Hop recently issued a recall of more than 32,000 highchairs after it discovered that the legs can actually detach from the seat, posing a hazard for children. At the time of the recall, the company had received “17 reports of the legs detaching.” Fortunately, however, none of those reports included injury incidents related to the defect.

Lawsuit Accuses NYPD of Shackling Pregnant Woman While in Labor

December 7, 2018

A lawsuit was recently filed against the New York City Police Department alleging a pregnant woman was “forced to wear handcuffs on her wrists and ankles during labor.” The woman is referred to as Jane Doe throughout the suit and claims that, despite the protests of her medical staff, the “NYPD refused to remove the shackles, compelling Ms. Doe to labor in excruciating pain and forcing doctors to examine Ms. Doe with her feet and hands bound.”

Family Files Wrongful Death Suit After Fatal Danbury Police Chase

December 7, 2018

The family of Tiffany Fitzgerald filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Danbury and a former police officer, Jamie Hodge. Back in 2016, Fitzgerald was killed during a car chase with Hodge. It should be noted, however, that Fitzgerald was a passenger, not the driver. The wrongful death suit was filed late last month in New Haven and argues that Hodge, “who had only been on the force for one year, should never have chased the stolen vehicle on the streets of Danbury.” During the chase, the 1997 Ford Explorer that Fitzgerald was riding in crashed, throwing her from the vehicle.

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