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.

Southwest Airlines Agrees to $15M Settlement, Ending Price Collusion Lawsuit

January 6, 2018

A class-action lawsuit against Southwest Airline just came to a close, thanks to a federal judge approving a $15 million settlement. The lawsuit itself stemmed from accusations that Southwest, “along with three other airlines, conspired to limit the number of seats available to customers and keep ticket prices high.” According to the lawsuit the “conspiracy began in 2009,” and since then, “the cost of airfare with Southwest, American, Delta and United — which plaintiffs claimed collectively controls about 80 percent of domestic passenger seats — rose substantially compared to those of other domestic air carriers, despite stagnant or decreasing demand and declines in the cost of jet fuel.” As a result of the pricing conspiracy, the lawsuit accused Southwest and the other airlines of violating federal antitrust laws and said, “Passengers have been injured by paying higher airfares and facing reduced flight choices.”

Was Your Child’s Land of Nod Toddler Bed Recalled?

January 5, 2018

Parents with toddlers, listen up. Recently a popular toddler bed was recalled over concerns that the bed can fall apart, trapping and potentially injuring the child sleeping in it. The recall itself was issued back on December 28 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and includes the Land of Nod’s Nook toddler bed.

City of Sacramento Hit with $1M Medical Malpractice Claim After Woman was Allegedly Fondled

January 5, 2018

The city of Sacramento was recently slapped with a $1 million lawsuit after a 19-year-old woman was allegedly fondled by a paramedic while “she was unresponsive, strapped to a gurney and being taken to a hospital in an ambulance after suffering a seizure.” According to the woman, whose name is not being disclosed at this time, she suffered a seizure back on April 1, 2017, “and was taken to the Kaiser Permanente hospital in south Sacramento by a Sacramento Fire Department ambulance.”

Image of a HP Laptop Recall Notice graphic

HP Recalls Lithium-Ion Laptop Batteries Amid Fire Concerns

January 5, 2018

If you or someone you know has an HP laptop with a lithium-ion battery, listen up. Earlier today, HP announced that it was recalling “more than 50,000 laptops because of the danger of fire in cases of battery malfunction.” The recall itself was issued after HP “received eight reports of batteries overheating, melting, or charring,” according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. As a result of the malfunction, there were “three incidents of property damage totaling $1,500 and a single first-degree burn to the hand.”

Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Against Fairbanks Police Department and Others After Death of 21-Year-Old Woman

January 5, 2018

The Fairbanks Police Department, Alaska Department of Corrections, and Kodiak Jack’s are facing a wrongful death lawsuit after the death of 21-year-old Michaela Kitelinger. The lawsuit itself was filed by Kitelinger’s parents, who claim the three defendants “share blame for their daughter’s death that occurred back on January 1, 2017.” But what happened?

St. Paul Agrees to $33k Lawsuit Settlement with T.V. Anchor

January 4, 2018

Earlier this week, the St. Paul city council agreed to a $33,000 settlement to end a federal lawsuit filed by local T.V. Anchor Alix Kendall. Kendall, of Fox 9 Morning News, filed the lawsuit against St. Paul and “nearly 200 cities, counties, and other agencies throughout Minnesota back in 2014.” Why? Well, according to Kendall, her “driver’s license information was accessed more than 3,800 times during a 10-year period,” and none of those searches were “for any legitimate law enforcement purpose.” The recent settlement comes even after “courts dismissed most of the instances, saying they were past the statute of limitations.”

Is Monsanto To Blame After Students, Teachers Poisoned?

January 4, 2018

A lawsuit was filed against Monsanto and local officials after families and teachers allege they were “sickened at a school outside of Seattle.” According to the lawsuit, which was filed earlier this week in King County Superior Court, local officials and Monsanto “allowed the school site to grow toxic with the use of the now-banned industrial chemicals known as PCBs.” As a result, many parents claim “their children’s health deteriorated while they attended Sky Valley Education Center, an alternative K-12 school in Monroe, Washington.”

Image of the Recalled T. Marzetti Frozen Biscuits

T. Marzetti Co. Recalls Biscuit Products Due to Possible Listeria Contamination

January 4, 2018

Anyone who enjoys the occasional biscuit every now and then should pay attention to a recent recall of frozen biscuits. Why were they recalled? Well, it turns out that some frozen biscuits sold in stores like Piggly Wiggly, Lowes Foods, and others were voluntarily recalled “due to possible listeria contamination.” The biscuits themselves were produced by T. Marzetti Co., which “announced the voluntary recall as a precautionary measure.”

Glendale YMCA Under Fire in Latest Wrongful Death Lawsuit After Man Falls From Roof

January 1, 2018

A family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a Glendale YMCA after their 23-year-old son fell from the roof of the YMCA building to his death back in 2016. According to the lawsuit, which was filed by Abel Montes Jr.’s parents earlier this week, “employee negligence and a drug-laced brownie” contributed to his death. Now his parents, Abel Montes Sr. and Angela Reisner, “are seeking unspecified damages from the organization.” But what happened, exactly?

Image of the Escalator that Kekona Fell Down

Alaska Airlines Under Fire in Recent Wrongful Death Lawsuit

December 30, 2017

A wrongful death lawsuit was recently filed against Alaska Airlines by a Spokane Valley woman after she claimed “a contractor failed to escort their elderly mother to her gate for a flight to Spokane.” Because of that failure, the elderly woman, Bernice Kekona, fell down an escalator and her injuries from the fall led to her death in September. The lawsuit itself was filed on behalf of Kekona’s eldest child, Darlene Bloyed, and was filed in “King County Superior Court in Seattle, where Alaska Airlines is based.”

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