litigation News

Chinese Drywall Maker Ordered to Pay $55,000, Stop Doing Business in U.S.

A federal judge has ordered a China-based maker of drywall to pay $55,000 in penalties and attorney fees – and to stop doing business in the United States – as punishment for refusing to take part in court proceedings over …

Medtronic in Minnesota To Pay $1B-Plus In Patent Settlement

Medtronic has agreed to pay more than $1 billion to settle long-standing patent litigation with fellow medical device maker Edwards Lifesciences over replacement heart valves. The Minneapolis company also said Tuesday a heavy charge from that settlement helped drop its …

Judge Judy Files Suit Against Connecticut Lawyer, Seeks $75K in Damages

Television’s Judge Judy filed a lawsuit last week against a Connecticut personal-injury lawyer, alleging that he used her image without authorization in advertisements that falsely suggested she had endorsed his firm. The lawsuit filed in federal court seeks more than …

Case Before Ohio Court May Impact Future Coverage for Fracking Liability

The oil drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has been blamed – rightly or wrongly – for various hazards ranging from earthquakes to water pollution. While the technique has generated a lot of media attention, so far there …

Texas Windstorm Insurer Releases Questionable Emails to Attorney

The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) announced it has released to a litigator what it calls “potentially offensive” emails as part of discovery in a lawsuit against the insurer brought on behalf of the Brownsville Independent School District. The lawsuit …

Rotting Wood Product in Post-Katrina Built Homes May Spark Legal Action

Actor Brad Pitt’s Make It Right Foundation, which has built 100 energy-efficient new homes in the Hurricane Katrina-ravaged Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans, is considering legal action against the manufacturer of an innovative glass-infused wood that was used in …

Texas Woman Seeks $1M After Slipping on Nut Shells

A Texas woman wants $1 million in damages from a steakhouse known for letting patrons throw peanut shells on the floor after she says she slipped and fell on the droppings. Amelia Tijerina says she suffered physical pain, mental anguish …

Making the Most of Mediation

More litigation is resolved by mediation than by jury trials. Because of this, it is very important that insurance professionals understand the mediation process and learn how to make it effective. William Moye, an insurance defense attorney and a partner …

Texas-Based Halliburton Posts 1Q Loss on Oil Spill Litigation Charges

Houston, Texas-based Halliburton says it lost $18 million in the first quarter, pulled down by $637 million in charges related to its role in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. But it made money if unusual items are excluded, …

Judge Chides Army Corps over New Orleans Levees

The Army Corps of Engineers built a “tragically flawed” levee system for New Orleans – but isn’t liable for claims that excavation work by a government contractor weakened a floodwall and caused it to breach in two places during Hurricane …