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.

Fidget Spinner Keychains Recalled Amid Choking Hazard Concerns

February 4, 2018

If you’re a fan of fidget spinners, this recall is for you. Earlier last month the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalled certain “Pokémon fidget spinner keychains made in China for Fashion Accessory Bazaar.” Why? Well, according to the recall notice, “the center post on the fidget spinner can become loose or fall out, posing a choking hazard.” Fortunately, no injuries have been reported yet, and “no ASI-listed companies were named in the recall.”

Lawsuit Surrounding Fatal Carjacking Settles for $12M

February 4, 2018

A four-year civil lawsuit against The Mall at Short Hills was settled for $12 million earlier this week. The lawsuit itself was filed by the wife of a man “killed during a carjacking at The Mall at Short Hills.” Back in September the wife, Jamie Schare Friedland, made a “formal offer to settle the lawsuit,” and it seems the mall finally agreed, but what happened?

Azar Confirmed as HHS Chief: What to Expect

February 2, 2018

Earlier this week Alex Azar was sworn in as the new leader of the Department of Health and Human Services, a move that President Trump said will result in a drop in prescription drug prices. When commenting on the appointment of the former HHS official and pharmaceutical executive, Trump said: “We have to get the prices of prescription drugs way down and unravel the tangled web of special interest that are driving prices up for medicine and for really hurting patients.” He added, “As our new secretary, Alex will continue to implement the administrative and regulatory changes needed to ensure that our citizens get the affordable high-quality care that they deserve.”

Recall Issued After Report Finds Asbestos in Children’s Makeup

February 2, 2018

Last year and early last month, test results of popular children’s makeup discovered the presence of asbestos, a dangerous chemical that should be nowhere near children’s products. Since the discovery, many have called on the Food and Drug Administration to conduct its own investigation into the tainted cosmetics sold by popular “retailers Claire’s Stores Inc. and Justice Retail.”

Lawsuits Against Jim Carrey Over Death of Girlfriend Dropped

February 2, 2018

Earlier this week Jim Carrey was cleared of the lawsuits against him in relation to the “apparent suicide of his former girlfriend Cathriona White.” According to a representative for Carrey, the suits were “dismissed on Jan. 25” thanks in large part to a motion filed by his attorney, Raymond Boucher, in which he asked the court to “compel Mark Burton to provide White’s STD test results. Through discovery, Boucher came to the conclusion that a 2011 document showing White had clean test results prior to meeting Carrey was a forgery.” But who is Mark Burton? Why were the lawsuits filed against Carrey in the first place?

Panera Cream Cheese Recalled Amid Listeria Fears

February 1, 2018

The popular bakery-cafe chain, Panera Bread, recently issued a recall for many of its cream cheese products over concerns of possible listeria contamination. Known for its delicious sandwiches and soups, Panera decided to voluntarily recall “2 oz. and 8 oz. cream cheese products after samples of one of its cream cheese products from a single production day showed a positive result for Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.”

Health Experts Urge Facebook to Turn Off ‘Messenger Kids’

February 1, 2018

Childhood is a precious time filled with imagination and wonder. It’s also a time where many agree technology should be limited, which is why the latest Messenger Kids app offered through Facebook has some pediatric and mental health experts concerned. In fact, these experts are so concerned about the potentially damaging effects of the Facebook app that they’re “calling on Facebook to kill the messaging service…that was introduced last month for children as young as 6.” What has these experts so concerned, though?

Image of a Girl Holding Up a #MeToo Sign

Did the Wonder Years T.V. Show End Over a Sexual Harrassment Claim?

February 1, 2018

Fans of The Wonder Years may be interested to learn that a sexual harassment claim was allegedly what brought the popular show to an end. According to one of the show’s lead actresses, “Alley Mills, who played Fred Savage’s mother, Norma Arnold,” a sexual harassment lawsuit was filed in 1993 by “ 31-year-old costume designer Monique Long” against “Savage and Jason Hervey, who played Savage’s older brother.” At the time, Savage was 16 and Hervey was 20. But what happened, exactly?

Family of ‘The Walking Dead’ Stuntman Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against AMC Networks, Inc.

January 31, 2018

Most people are familiar with ‘The Walking Dead’ t.v. Show, but few are aware that many of the stunts on the show are performed by stuntmen and women, and fewer realize that sometimes those stuntmen and women get injured. Tragically, accidental deaths have also been known to occur on film sets, and that’s exactly what happened to John Bernecker, a stuntman who “fell to his death on the set of ‘The Walking Dead’ in Georgia.” As a result of the accident, Bernecker’s mother, Susan Bernecker, recently filed a lawsuit against the “show’s network and other parties, saying unreasonably low budgets led to inadequate safety precautions.” The accident itself occurred on July 12, 2017.

Bullied Altoona Area School District Student Commits Suicide, Family Files Lawsuit

January 30, 2018

A federal lawsuit was filed earlier this week by Marc Lansberry, the father of “Wyatt J. Lansberry, a 12-year-old seventh-grader, who took his own life on May 18 after experiencing a ‘particularly brutal day of bullying’ at the Altoona Area Junior High School.” The lawsuit itself was filed in Johnstown with the blessing of Wyatt’s mother, Terri Bradford, and “outlines in detail the psychological toll that persistent bullying took on the child.”

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