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.

Image of The Deschutes County Courthouse.

Lawsuit Filed After Police Misplaced Blood, Urine Samples in Sexual Assault Case

November 1, 2017

For victims of sexual assault, it takes a lot of courage to step forward and pursue justice. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for roadblocks to pop up, making it difficult for victims to get the justice they deserve. For example, recently a “sexual assault case was not prosecuted because either the Bend Police Department or St. Charles Bend lost key evidence that would have proved a woman was drugged before she was assaulted.” As a result, a lawsuit was filed on the woman’s behalf in Deschutes County Circuit Court.

Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed in Response to Death of Former FedEx Employee

November 1, 2017

A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed on behalf of a former FedEx employee, Michael Merton, that was killed “two weeks ago while working at the company’s facility at Lubbock Preston Smith Airport.” The lawsuit itself was filed by the former employee’s daughters, who still have no answers explaining what happened to lead to their father’s untimely death.

PlanToys Recalls Popular Baby Play Gyms Amid Strangulation Concerns

October 31, 2017

A new toy recall has been issued that parents should be made aware of. The recall pertains to PlanToys Baby Gyms, which have been recalled due to the concern that “babies can strangle on the side rope crossbars on the baby gyms.” The gyms are designed to be placed on the floor for babies to play. But how can parents tell if they purchased one of these recalled baby gyms for their children?

Image of the Recalled Fisher-Price Motion Seats

63,000 Motorized Infant Seats Recalled Over Fire Hazard Concerns

October 30, 2017

A recall was issued yesterday for more than 63,000 Fisher-Price “motorized infant seats after receiving 36 reports of the product overheating and one report of a fire starting in the seat’s motor housing.” While there have been no injuries reported so far, Fisher-Price isn’t taking any chances, and decided to issue a “fast track” recall of the product, “meaning that the company is committed to working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to remove the recalled product as quickly as possible.”

Daughter of Paul Walker Settles Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Porsche

October 25, 2017

Many of us remember Paul Walker for his entertaining movies, especially the Fast and Furious franchise. Others, like his daughter, remember him in a different light – as a loving father who left this world too soon. The actor’s tragic death nearly four years ago shocked the world after he passed away in a car accident. He had been riding as a passenger in a “Porsche Carrera GT while his friend, Roger Rodas, was driving.” Shortly after his death, though, his daughter, Meadow Walker, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Porsche, alleging that the “history of instability and control issues by the car, more specifically her father being trapped by a faulty seat belt, is what led Paul to burn alive.” Fortunately for Miss Walker, the lawsuit was settled on October 16th.

Wildfire Damage May Not Be Fully Covered By Insurance for Some California Wineries

October 25, 2017

The wildfires that tore through Northern California devastated neighborhoods, businesses, and forests. Now as the ash begins to settle, many are beginning to take stock of the damage, including many of the wineries throughout the regions. Some of these wineries are even starting the insurance claim process, though “many of the smaller vintners are likely to find limits in their policies,” meaning payouts are likely to fall short of rebuilding costs, unfortunately.

Lawsuit Filed After Mistaken Diagnosis Results in Unnecessary Mastectomy, Hysterectomy

October 24, 2017

After being told by doctors that she carried cancer-causing genes based on genetic tests, Elisha Cooke-Moore, a 36-year-old mother from southern Oregon, underwent a “double mastectomy and a hysterectomy.” Unfortunately for Moore, after the life-altering procedures, it was discovered that her doctors had made a mistake in reading the genetic test results. Turns out she didn’t really have cancer-causing genes, but it was too late. As a result, she decided to file a $1.8 million lawsuit.

Concerns Over Cruise Ship Safety On the Rise After Child’s Fatal Fall

October 24, 2017

Earlier this month on October 14th, an 8-year-old girl tragically fell from a cruise ship and died, raising concerns “about the safety of potential passengers traveling with children.” The young girl was Zion Smith, a native of the Bahamas. During the accident, she “fell two stories from an interior deck on the Carnival Glory to another deck below while the cruise ship was docked at Port Miami,” according to Miami Dade Police Department.

Millions of Americans Still at Risk for Lead Exposure Via Paint

October 24, 2017

Many are aware that using lead paint in any way has been banned since 1978. However, some might be surprised to learn that, despite the ban, lead paint continues to pose a danger to “tens of millions of U.S. Homes.” How so? Well, because so many homes in the U.S. were built before the ban, a lot of them still have lead paint on their walls. In fact, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “more than 87 percent of homes built before 1940 in the U.S. have lead paint,” leaving millions of people “vulnerable to lead exposure.”

Lawsuit Filed After Neurologist Sexually Exploits, Assaults Female Patient

October 24, 2017

When most people visit their doctor for a procedure or consultation, they do so with the expectation that they’ll be respected as a person. Few, if any, worry about being put in a situation where a doctor might take advantage of them in any way. Unfortunately for one woman, this was her reality when she visited her neurologist in Wichita Falls. According to the woman, Dr. Daalon Braunde Echols “sexually exploited and assaulted her while she was his patient.” She has since filed a lawsuit against him.

Trending