Fund Proposed for Survivors of Bridge Collapse |
| Survivors of the Minneapolis bridge collapse are asking Minnesota lawmakers to create a fund similar to the one established by Congress following the September 11 terrorist attacks. The proposed compensation fund would require those affected by the collapse to give up their right to pursue claims against the state in order to receive compensation for pain and suffering, injuries, medical costs and economic losses. Minnesota law caps liability at $1 million per incident and $300,000 per individual. Martiga Lohn, LA Times 10/25/2007 | Read Article: LA Times |
Extent of Stolen Credit Data Grows |
| The amount of credit card data stolen from discount retailer TJX has grown to 94 million Visa and MasterCard accounts. Court filings in several lawsuits filed by banks against TJX suggest that losses from Visa cards alone range from $68 million to $83 million. Depositions indicate that the amount of stolen data was more than twice that initially reported by TJX. Mark Jewell, TheWashington Post 10/25/2007 | Read Article: The Washington Post |
Jury Awards Damages Against Maine Hospital |
| A severely brain damaged boy and his mother received almost $8 million in damages Thursday in a lawsuit against a Maine hospital and one of its midwives. In the complaint, Sasha Emond contended that her midwife andCentral Maine Medical Center failed to recommend an emergency cesarean section during the birth. The woman’s child was born with cerebral palsy caused by lack of blood and oxygen to his brain. AP, Boston Globe 10/25/2007 | Read Article: Boston Globe |
Appellate Court Supports Firm on Fees |
| Earlier this month, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals raised the possibility that class action firm Milberg Weiss had been undercompensated in a settlement with a defunct internet consulting company. The appellate court’s ruling raised questions about how the trial judge determined attorney fees for the $18 million settlement. The panel points out that the judge should have considered market prices for legal services when determining the fees. Ameet Sachdev,Chicago Tribune 10/26/2007 | Read Article: Chicago Tribune |
BP Settles Charges, Individuals Could be Held Accountable |
| Energy giant BP has agreed to pay more than $373 million in fines to settle criminal charges stemming from a deadly explosion at a Texas refinery, propane trading manipulation and an Alaskan oil spill. However, individuals employed by BP who had knowledge of safety and regulatory violations could still face charges, a U.S. attorney said. Investigations into the 2005 Texas Cityrefinery blast revealed rampant safety violations at the plant. Kristen Hays,Houston Chronicle 10/26/2007 | Read Article: Houston Chronicle |
Ground Zero Worker Died from Drug Misuse Not Dust, Examiner Says |
| The cause of death of a former New York detective remains a matter of heated debate despite a newly released conclusion by the New York Citymedical examiner. According to the medical examiners report, James Zadroga died from the misuse of prescription drugs rather than toxic contaminants from ground zero, as other medical examiners had concluded. An attorney for the family disputed the conclusion that the detective had abused drugs. Anthony DePalma, The New York Times 10/26/2007 | Read Article: The New York Times |
Heart Drug Linked to Death Risk, FDA Says |
| A Bayer AG drug used to prevent excessive bleeding during heart surgery has been found to increase the risk of death, the Food and Drug Administration said Thursday. The FDA announcement comes on the heels of a Canadian study that was halted after researchers determined the drug, Trasylol, increased the risk of death compared to other drugs. Health officials said they would evaluate possible label changes for drug along with other regulatory actions. AP, The Washington Post 10/25/2007 | Read Article: The Washington Post |
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