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.
Are you a NutriBullet fan? If so, this story may interest you. It turns out “at least 22 people are suing the makers of NutriBullet over claims that the product burst during use, leaving them with severe lacerations and burns.” According to multiple allegations, the “alleged victims claim the speed of the blade causes heat and pressure to build in the sealed vessel, which causes the container to burst from the rest of the machine.” Despite the reports, attorneys and representatives of NutriBullet claim there is nothing wrong with the product, and are blaming the consumers for failing to properly use the popular blender.
Do you remember when President Trump agreed to settle the lawsuit surrounding Trump University for $25 million? Well, the lawsuit “would have seen the former students receive 90 cents for every dollar that they spent,” which for many would equate out to a large sum of money. However, recent events have unfolded that might nix that settlement “if judges allow a woman who was part of the class action suit to pursue her own case against the billionaire over a real estate training program that folded in 2010.” But what happened? Why might the settlement be in jeopardy?
For parents, the fear of losing a child is one of their worst nightmares. Unfortunately for Peter and Martha Balderas of Amarillo, this nightmare became a reality when four of their children were “killed in an accidental poisoning” at their home back in January. As a result, the grieving parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against “the maker of a pesticide that caused the deaths and also against the person who provided the chemical.”
Do you or someone you know own a hoverboard? If so, then this recall notice is for you. Earlier this week the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a massive recall for a variety of different types of hoverboards from seven different companies. Unsure what a hoverboard is? Well, simply put it’s a “self-balancing scooter…a popular toy among kids and teenagers.” The recall itself was issued after the CPSC announced “evidence of a LayZ Board brand hoverboard involved in an October fire in Pennsylvania that destroyed one townhome and damaged four others.” It was the “second reported house fire involving a LayZ Board brand hoverboard,” according to the CPSC.
Jessica Alba’s Honest Company is back in the legal spotlight. This time, instead of facing a lawsuit brought against it, the company has decided to sue the “makers of a baby doll for allegedly infringing on its brand name and floral pattern.” The lawsuit itself was filed against the “Delaware firm JAKKS Pacific of trying to make people think their line of Honestly Cute toddler toys and strollers are associated with them.” Additionally, according to the lawsuit, “a floral design used in their packaging is too similar to one the Honest Company has trademarked.”
When parent’s drop their children off at his or her daycare in the morning, they do so with the expectation that their children will be well cared for during the day. The last thing any parent anticipates is learning that their child was abused or neglected in any way. Unfortunately, this was the reality for one Ballwin family when they found out their four-year-old daughter had been hog-tied with duct tape at Zion Lutheran Learning Center in Valley Park. As a result, the girl’s parents filed a lawsuit against the learning center, “the Zion Lutheran Church, its board of directors and several day care employees.” Fortunately for the family, they “reached an out-of-court settlement” with the Lutheran daycare, and “filed a motion to dismiss their civil
Fidget spinners have been in the news a lot this year. From concerns that they could be a choking hazard to reports of some catching fire, it’s no wonder that the products have attracted the watchful eyes of a variety of different consumer protection groups. For example, one such group, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) recently “accused Target of selling fidget spinners that have far too much lead in them for children’s products, sparking an argument with the retailer over whom the gadgets are intended for.”
For weeks we’ve been reading and hearing about reports of sexual harassment allegations against Hollywood big-wigs, most notably, Harvey Weinstein. It would seem, however, that those allegations aren’t only limited to Hollywood. Even the restaurant industry is beginning to see an uptick in sexual misconduct and harassment allegations.
Two settlements have been reached regarding a lawsuit against Ceres that claimed “several police officers secretly video recorded two female civilian co-workers, and in one instance allegedly took video of one employee’s upper thigh and underpants while she was wearing a dress.” The two settlements total $400,000, and at the end of the day the city “admitted no liability in the settlements.”
A lawsuit against Yale University is expected to proceed, even after a U.S. district court judge tossed “out one of the seven counts leveled by a former employee who claimed racial discrimination and harassment by his supervisor.” U.S. District Judge Janet Hall decided to dismiss Leon McCalla’s “claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress” because
