National News

Homeownership Costs in US Jumped 26% Since Pandemic Began

The cost of owning a home in the US has increased 26% since 2020, as expenses including taxes, insurance and utilities all soared during a period of high inflation across the economy. The average annual outlay for owning and maintaining …

Uber Loses Challenge to California Gig Work Law in Appeals Court

A U.S. appeals court on Monday rejected a bid by Uber and subsidiary Postmates to revive a challenge to a California law that could force the companies to treat drivers as employees rather than independent contractors who are typically less …

US Supreme Court to Hear Facebook Bid to Scuttle Shareholder Lawsuit

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear a bid by Meta’s Facebook to scuttle a private securities fraud lawsuit accusing the social media platform of misleading investors in 2017 and 2018 about the misuse of its user data …

US Chamber of Commerce: Nuclear Verdicts’ Amount, Frequency Continue to Increase

A recent report from The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) has found that nuclear verdicts of $10 million or more are on the rise. Looking at verdicts from 2013 to 2022, ILR said the median nuclear …

Social Media Giants Avoid School Districts’ Addiction Claims

Meta Platforms Inc. and other social media companies won the dismissal of novel claims in hundreds of lawsuits brought by school districts seeking to recover costs for addressing the negative impacts of students’ social media use. A California state judge …

All the Major Legal Battles Elon Musk and His Companies Are Facing

Elon Musk and his companies are embroiled in dozens of lawsuits, ranging from fatal crashes blamed on Tesla Inc.’s Autopilot system to civil rights complaints over the treatment of employees. Tesla’s board and Musk were hit Thursday with another suit …

Top Law Firms in US Opioid Lawsuits to Get Hundreds of Millions in Fees

A court-appointed panel on Friday recommended how to divvy up a pool of $2.13 billion in legal fees from nationwide drug industry settlements over the U.S. opioid crisis, with top firms set to receive hundreds of millions of dollars. The …

Catastrophe Bond Sales Soar as Markets Brace for Unusually Active Hurricane Season

Issuance of catastrophe bonds just hit a record high, as the market braces for a rough hurricane season with the potential to do substantial damage. Sales of so-called cat bonds are 38% higher this year through May than over the …

US Auto Insurance Market on the Mend; Homeowners Line Volatile: Fitch

The U.S. personal insurance sector is positioned for improving underwriting performance in 2024. According to Fitch’s latest U.S. Personal Lines Market Update, the change is predicted amid signs that the previous surge in claims severity from higher inflation and supply …

People Moves: AXIS Appoints Boulos and Ryan to Head US Ocean Marine

AXIS Capital Holdings Limited, headquartered in Pembroke, Bermuda, appointed Paul Boulos and Rob Ryan as heads of ocean marine. Boulos and Ryan will be responsible for building a suite of ocean marine-related products into a comprehensive offering. Most recently, Boulos, …

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