#2 Aftermath of a Horrific Amusement Park AccidentLouisville, KY It is not only a parent's worst nightmare but anyone's worst nightmare??"in this case an Amusement Park Accident at a popular theme park that resulted in a 13-year-old girl having both of her feet severed above the ankle. Kaitlyn Lasitter survived, and doctors were able to re-attach her right foot. But they could not save her left, and Kaitlyn now walks with a prosthesis.
#3 The Big Story of UBS Whistleblower LawsuitNew York, NY After nearly seven years in court, Trevor Murray prevailed in his whistleblower lawsuit against UBS Securities, his former employer. The latest flurry of activity is an after-the-fact attempt by UBS’s attorneys to reduce the firm’s financial liability. No harm, no foul. It’s simply what diligent lawyers try to do.
#4 Seroquel Side Effects for the ElderlyPearblossom, CA Seroquel is a neuroleptic indicated for the treatment of bipolar disorder—and like most drugs carries a host of Seroquel side effects, including diabetes, tardive dyskinesia and even birth defects. However, there is a little-known use for Seroquel off-label that concerned the daughter of one Alzheimer's patient for whom she was caring.
#5 Google Resolves Gender Discrimination LawsuitSan Francisco, CAA pay equity California labor class action lawsuit filed in 2017 accusingCalifornia Google of underpaying women has been resolved: the tech giant will settle for $118 million, which involves over 15,000 women employed in California.
#6 Lisinopril—Hidden DangersLas Vegas, NV Many prescription drugs are as common as aspirin; it's no wonder that many consumers don't read warning labels or consider that a medication could be associated with side effects. Take Lisinopril, for instance. It is one of the most widely prescribed drugs in the US, and it also has the potential to harm a lot of people.
#7 Equinox Employees Go Ahead with Three Class ActionsLos Angeles, CA Over 9,000 Equinox employees, including personal trainers and group fitness instructors, have been given the green light by a California federal judge to have their wage claims and other California labor laws resolved by three class actions rather than individually.
#8 Insufficient Funds Charges Threaten Small-Balance AccountholdersAlbany, NY Excessive bank fees that are based on insufficient funds (NSF) charges may pose a greater threat to checking accountholders than overdraft fees. Recent lawsuits recognize that, without protections based largely in state contract law, consumers have little protection from NSF fees that result when checks or electronic payments that are presented and re-presented multiple times without the accountholder’s permission.
#9 Former Tesla Employee Rejects $15 million SettlementFremont, CA A federal jury in San Francisco last October agreed with plaintiff Owen Diaz that Tesla had created a hostile environment and discriminated against the former worker—who is black -- at its Fremont factory. Tesla was ordered to pay $137 million in the California labor lawsuit but a U.S. District Judge reduced the amount to $15 million.
#10 ERISA Lawsuit Alleges that ESOP Fiduciaries Cheated ParticipantsChicago, ILParticipants in the West Monroe Partners Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) filed a class action ERISA lawsuit claiming that the ESOP’s fiduciaries and the Trustee shortchanged them of the value of the company’s stock when West Monroe sold half the company to an outside investor. At its most elemental, the scheme described in Daly v. West Monroe Partners Inc. involved using participants’ retirement savings to enrich the company insiders. The details, however, suggest a careful plan carefully executed in several steps over almost a year.
