Flint residents are seeking class action status in a suit against the city and the state of Michigan alleging that cost-cutting measures put their health in danger. When Flint was put under emergency financial management, the city’s water supply was switched from Detroit’s water system to the Flint River. The pipe corrosion that followed exposed residents to dangerous levels of lead in their drinking water.
A consumer-driven lawsuit against Ford Motor Company alleging fraud in advertising will go forward. The judge ruled that the suit claiming that Ford over-estimated fuel-efficiency numbers on the Fusion and C-Max hybrids had merit.
GM’s luck ran out as a federal bankruptcy judge ruled that plaintiffs in the faulty ignition suits could collect punitive damages if they could prove that “New GM” knew about “Old GM’s” defect and covered it up. Gone are the previous protections afforded the automaker by its 2009 bankruptcy.
C.R. Bard finally exhausted its appeals in the first case to go to trial involving its Avaulta transvaginal mesh product. The jury awarded plantiff Christine Scott $5.5M, split 60/40 between Bard and the operating surgeon. Bard immediately appealed. The last chance for reversal came in February 2015 and Bard broke out the checkbook in March. This was kept quiet; a reporter following the case discovered the payment by reviewing Bard’s public SEC investor reports.
As more customers report illness after eating at certain Chipotle restaurants in Washington and Oregon, the company is facing more than just negative publicity. One Washington customer is suing the chain for over $75,000 after her burrito bowl allegedly caused her nausea and diarrhea. Her suffering was so severe, she sought treatment at an area hospital.
The U.S. government recently announced a settlement for $850,000 over claims that a routine prostate surgery at an government hospital left the plaintiff blind, impotent and incontinent. The surgery took roughly three times the usual duration of two and a half hours and the plaintiff was never informed that if it took longer than five hours, blindness may result.
Facebook won the dismissal of a $15B lawsuit alleging that its “cookies” secretly tracked and collected users’ Internet activity even after they logged out of the world’s largest online social media network. The judge found that the plaintiffs had failed to specify how, exactly, they were harmed. Plaintiffs have until November 30 to revise and refile their claims.
A couple in Connecticut sued an OB/GYN specialist over the wrongful death of their 22-week-old fetus. The mother, Melanie Foster, was undergoing an IUD removal when the doctor punctured her fetal membrane. Ten days later, the fetus was born alive; however, it only survived two hours post-partum. The question in front of the court is whether the fetus had achieved personhood status such that it could be considered the victim in a wrongful death suit.
Duke Energy Ohio plans to settle a suit alleging it gave preferential treatment and kickbacks to certain large business and industrial customers from 2005 to 2008. The kickbacks, according to plaintiffs, were for these larger customers withdrawing their objections to a rate increase. The rate increase was later passed. Duke will pay $81M to settle the suit.
Bayer’s Essure implantable birth control device is responsible for destroying thousands of women’s lives. They have had total hysterectomies in their early 20s, been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, lupus and even cancer. All for the sake of Bayer’s almighty bottom line. No more! Hey Bayer! #ImReal and I’m not going away!