#1 Scientologists Exposed to Blue Asbestos for 21 YearsCuracao, Netherlands Antilles Perhaps now that high-ranking members of the Church of Scientology�including Tom Cruise�may have been exposed to asbestos, an all-out ban on this human carcinogen in the US may come about sooner. But it can also mean that thousands more people can potentially develop mesothelioma.
#4 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.
#5 San Diego to Pay $3.4 Million to Settle Firefighters’ Overtime ClaimsSan Diego, CA On February 8, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California approved a proposed settlement of Kelley v. City of San Diego. The settlement ends a class action California labor lawsuit brought by San Diego firefighters who claim that their overtime payments were miscalculated under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Under the terms of the settlement, San Diego will pay $1.575 million in back overtime and $1.575 million in liquidated damages as well as attorneys' fees and costs.
#6 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.
#8 Ninth Circuit Sends "High-Tech Debt Trap" Lawsuit to ArbitrationLos Angeles, CA On February 19, the Ninth Circuit held that a borrower, who found herself in what she described as a “high-tech debt trap,” must arbitrate her claims against the lender, having waived her right to sue. Marggieh DeCarlo was trying to build credit but instead found herself entangled instead in a ruinous web of loan charges, membership fees and bank overdraft fees.
#9 Denied Insurance Coverage for Proton Beam TherapySanta Clara, CA Proton beam radiation therapy (PBRT) is purportedly a safer and more effective cancer treatment than x-ray or photon-based treatments and less invasive than surgery, but some insurance companies deny coverage, which has led to bad faith insurance lawsuits.
#10 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.
