| | Drug companies may be closing in on a long sought-after goal: federal protection from lawsuits. Advocates for pre-emption argue that only the Food and Drug Administration has sufficient capabilities to regulate drugs and that expertise should not be called into question by a jury. Critics of the FDAs oversight point to cases such as the Ortho Evra birth control patch, in which the agency waited years before warning women about potentially fatal side effects. Gardiner Harris and Alex Berenson, The New York Times 04/06/2008 | |
| | A California jury has ordered a major temporary worker firm to pay $6.5 million to a former software developer who claimed she was denied promotion because of her religious beliefs. Jurors found that management at Kelly Services’ Nevada City location wrongly denied Lynn Noyes promotion because she was not a member of the religious group Fellowship of Friends. The jury’s award includes $5.9 million in punitive damages. Denny Walsh, TheSacramento Bee 04/05/2008 | |
| | A federal judge has approved a $505,000 settlement between a Colorado McDonald’s franchise and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Under the settlement, two former workers will split $450,000 and two others will split $55,000 for allegedly suffering continual sexual harassment while employed at the store. Additionally, the restaurant must provide anti-discrimination training and notices to employees. Shane Benjamin, TheDurango Herald 04/06/2008 | |
| | A Pennsylvania couple filed a lawsuit last week accusing Google of subjecting them to mental suffering and lowering their property value. According to the lawsuit, Google trespassed on their property to photograph their home for the company’s Google Street View feature. The lawsuit seeks a minimum of $25,000 in damages. Zusha Elinson, Law.com 04/07/2008 | |
| | Home Depot has agreed to pay $14.5 million to settle a number of shareholder lawsuits that accused the company of misgoverning corporate stock options and rampant cronyism. Additionally, as part of the settlement, the company has also agreed to widespread corporate governance changes. The settlement is expected to become final within 60 days. Greg Land, Law.com 04/07/2008 | |
| | An increasing number of Florida doctors are requiring patients to sign binding arbitration agreements. In fact, doctors and insurance companies throughout the country promote the arbitration process as a cost-effective alternative to standard litigation. However, patients and ethicists view the practice as a threat to consumer protection and the right to a jury trial. Kris Hundley, St. Petersburg Times 04/04/2008 | |
| | Consumers are increasingly unhappy with the quality of air travel, according to an industry survey. Among the findings of the annual Airline Quality Rating: customer complaints increased by 60 percent overall, on-time departures fell for the 5th consecutive year and reports of lost or damaged luggage also increased. Adding to customer complaints, three carriers announced last week that they would cease operations because of financial pressures. Mark Sherman, Houston Chronicle 04/07/2008 | |
| | About one out of 15 children who are hospitalized become the victim of accidental overdoses or adverse drug reactions, according to a new report. The study, which used a new scientific detection method, also concluded that more children are harmed by medicine mix-ups than had previously been thought. The complete results of the study are scheduled to be published in the journal Pediatrics. Lindsey Tanner, Houston Chronicle 04/07/2008 | |
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