#1 Bayer Essure Settlement a Victory for Thousands of Essure Victims and E-SistersSanta Clara, CA On the ”Essure Problems” Facebook Page, which was started in 2011, Angie Firmalino advises about 44,000 women, called E-sisters, not to discuss their settlement as it comes with a confidentiality agreement that includes “restrictions about discussing your settlement online… discussing your settlement will jeopardize it.” Ms. Firmalino, who started the group, is referring to the $1.6 billion Bayer is paying to thousands of women who said they have suffered severe, long-term health problems from Bayer’s Essure birth control implant.
#2 What to Expect in Zantac Cancer Lawsuits for 2021 and BeyondWest Palm Beach, FL As 2020 draws to a close, the toll of death and injury from Zantac-related cancers continues to rise, as do the number of Zantac cancer lawsuits. Meanwhile, In Re: Zantac (Ranitidine) Products Liability Litigation, the multidistrict litigation into which many of the individual lawsuits have been consolidated, grinds on without much apparent news.
#3 Northern District of Illinois Nixes Mandatory Arbitration in ERISA LawsuitChicago, IL On January 25, the Northern District of Illinois denied Triad Manufacturing’s attempt to force ESOP participants to individually arbitrate their claims of fiduciary self-dealing. The ERISA lawsuit, James Smith v. Board of Directors of Triad Manufacturing Inc., alleged that the Board of Directors caused the plan to buy Triad stock at an inflated price, harming retirement savers for the benefit of individual board members who were also, not coincidentally, the sellers of the stock. The Court held that plan participants may now continue to the merits of their fiduciary breach lawsuit on a class-wide basis.
#4 California “New” Hero Pay for Grocery Workers BackfiresLos Angeles, CA Another Hero Pay wage hike, this time local government-mandated pay, requires that grocery companies with over 300 employees increase California hourly wages an extra $4 per hour. The salary boost is meant to compensate grocery store workers for the dangers they face during the coronavirus pandemic. However, it seems to have backfired: Some grocery stores have closed, leaving hundreds of frontline grocery workers with zero wages.
#5 Earnin Agrees to PayBackSanta Clara, CA A proposed settlement by Earnin, an app-based pay advance service, would theoretically pay up to $12.5 million to consumers who claim they were misled by Earnin and were charged bank fees they weren’t aware of before signing on with the service.
#7 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.
#8 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.
#9 Texas Employment Law: Don't Wait to Take Your PTOHouston, TX Pete did his company a service by not taking Paid Time Off (PTO) in over four years of employment. Yesterday was his last day of work. He has accrued 150 hours of PTO, but Texas Employment law does not require that employers pay workers for earned but unused vacation upon termination, unless the employer has a written policy or past practice of doing so.
#10 Bard Hernia Mesh Bellwether Trial PosptonedColumbus, OH Having been delayed three times now, the first C.R. Bard hernia mesh lawsuit is slated for April 19, 2021. The bellwether jury trial has been centralized before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus in the Southern District of Ohio. At issue is that Bard and its subsidiary Davol knew and when they knew about their defective hernia mesh.
