kevin

Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Brought Against Green Bay Catholic Diocese

 Abuse  Comments Off on Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Brought Against Green Bay Catholic Diocese
Jan 152008
 

The Catholic priest sexual abuse scandal continues, at least in Green Bay as a person named John Doe 119 has filed a lawsuit against a former priest and the diocese. According to the lawsuit, ex-priest John Patrick Feeney is named as the offender and the Green Bay Diocese is named as covering up the criminal behavior of the priest.

The lawsuit states that the Green Bay Diocese transferred a known child sexual predator to the Las Vegas diocese where the sexual abuse took place on a 13-year-old boy in 1984. The lawsuit states the church failed to protect its parishioners after it was discovered that Father Feeney had a diagnosable and untreatable sexual disorder.

 Posted by at 5:06 pm

Georgia Prisoners File Lawsuit Against Guards

 Police Misconduct  Comments Off on Georgia Prisoners File Lawsuit Against Guards
Jan 102008
 

Georgia prisoners have filed a class-action lawsuit against corrections officers for allegedly beating and torturing the inmates. The lawsuit tells a story of routine beatings of restrained inmates along with deprivation of food and water throughout the state.

The charges also allege that over 40 guards sought to cover up the beatings by denying photographs of the affected inmates and denying visits with family members. The suit says guards used nightsticks, combat boots and special “beating gloves” to attack inmates.

 Posted by at 4:44 pm

IBM Toxic Plume Lawsuit Filed

 Environmental, Wrongful Death  Comments Off on IBM Toxic Plume Lawsuit Filed
Jan 032008
 

Approximately 90 New York residents have filed a toxic tort lawsuit against IBM that they say caused birth defects in infants and cancer in adults. The lawsuit claims a toxic plume of chemicals including trichloroethylene was released from an IBM plant into the soil, groundwater and air.

According to the seven law firms representing the clients, the toxic chemicals caused personal injury and wrongful death to family of the plaintiffs. One of the law firms included in the case is Masry & Vititoe made famous by the movie “Erin Brockovich.”

 Posted by at 12:22 pm

Dead Man Not Liable In Lawsuit Against Him

 Frivolous Lawsuits  Comments Off on Dead Man Not Liable In Lawsuit Against Him
Dec 292007
 

In 2003, Walter Rich died in the infamous Station Nightclub fire in Boston, which took 100 other lives. But, this hasn’t stopped an old friend, Brian Sullivan from suing him. While at Rich’s home, Sullivan tripped over a 55-gallon drum buried in the garage floor. The fall caused Sullivan to tear his right rotator cuff, which required medical attention.

The judge in the case ordered that Walter Rich’s duty of care towards Sullivan and all other individuals ended upon his death. This case has set a precedent in the state, oddly enough, limiting the liability a person may incur only to the time in which they are living.

 Posted by at 8:11 am

Utah Supreme Court Reinstates Snowbird Lawsuit

 Negligence  Comments Off on Utah Supreme Court Reinstates Snowbird Lawsuit
Dec 202007
 

While skiing, William Rothstein suffered internal injuries after he hit a poorly marked retaining wall. Rothstein sued the ski facility Snowbird Corporation citing negligence in failing to properly mark the railroad ties that were stacked as a barrier.

The lower court ruled in favor of Snowbird, saying that Rothstein had assumed the inherent risk of skiing and signed two waivers stating he was aware of the risks. The Utah Supreme Court overruled the lower court’s decision, however, restoring the lawsuit and clarifying state law as it pertains to negligence.

 Posted by at 4:08 pm
Dec 122007
 

The daughter of deceased door-to-door surveyor, Summer Shipp has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company her mother worked for. Brandy Shipp has stated that marketing research firm GfK NOP, Roper ASW did not do enough to protect her mother from the perils of door-to-door marketing.

The lawsuit says the marketing firm was negligent in several areas including not checking assigned areas for sexual predators and not giving employees equipment to protect themselves. After missing for three years, the remains of Summer Shipp were found in Jackson County, Missouri in October this year.

 Posted by at 6:49 pm

Dennis Quaid Sues Drug Maker for Twins’ Overdose

 Negligence, Products Liability  Comments Off on Dennis Quaid Sues Drug Maker for Twins’ Overdose
Dec 052007
 

Actor Dennis Quaid and wife Kimberley Buffington are suing Baxter Healthcare Corporation for $50,000 is damages. The lawsuit alleges negligence in having similar labels for 10-unit and 10,000-unit vials of heparin.

Twins Zoe Grace and Thomas Boone were given accident overdoses of the drug, used as a blood thinner at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles last month. Cedars-Sinai has since apologized for the preventable medication error.

 Posted by at 4:15 pm

Pavarotti’s Widow Files Defamation Lawsuit

 Defamation of Character  Comments Off on Pavarotti’s Widow Files Defamation Lawsuit
Nov 272007
 

The widow fame tenor Luciano Pavarotti has filed a $44 million lawsuit against two former friends. In September 2007, Pavarotti died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 71. The lawsuit for defamation of character are against Franca Corfini Strata and Lidia La Marca who have been making statements to the media about marital strife between Pavarotti and wife, Nicoletta Mantovani before his death.

The lawsuit seeks $22 million from each woman and Mantovani says the proceeds of the litigation will be donated to charity. At stake in the lawsuit is the future earning power of the estate and any damages it may incur by false statements and rumors.

 Posted by at 4:35 pm

Family of Slain 92-Year-Old File Suit Against Atlanta

 Police Misconduct  Comments Off on Family of Slain 92-Year-Old File Suit Against Atlanta
Nov 212007
 

The City of Atlanta and Police Department has had a lawsuit filed against them exactly one year from when 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston was slain in a high profile case. Police had obtained a “no-knock” warrant based on phony information from an informant.

Thinking intruders were breaking in, a scared Ms. Johnston fired off one shot from an old gun at police. The police responded by firing 39 shots, killing Johnston in injuring other officers. According to reports, some officers then proceeded to plant marijuana around the house and falsify reports to cover up the mistake.

Officers Jason Smith and Gregg Junnier have pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and face sentencing soon. The lawsuit alleges corrupt practices by the Atlanta Police Department and that the City knew about these practices and showed gross indifference to these practices.

 Posted by at 5:10 pm

Judge Lost Pants Now Loses His Shirt

 Frivolous Lawsuits  Comments Off on Judge Lost Pants Now Loses His Shirt
Nov 142007
 

Judge Roy Pearson had brought forth a $54 million lawsuit against South Korean immigrants who own a dry cleaning company saying they had lost a pair of his pants. Pearson who was an administrative law judge in Washington D. C. has now lost his job over the incident.

Pearson was suing Customs Cleaners for the loss of his trousers, mental anguish and attorneys fees, which he calculated to be $67 million, but later reduced to $54 million. Pearson claimed the cleaners did not live up to their “satisfaction guaranteed” motto.

Pearson was deselected for another term as judge as apparently his performance was not satisfactory.

 Posted by at 4:43 pm