Injury & Accident Law

US Appeals Court Reinstates Suit Claiming Injury from Exploding, Hot Sandwich

A federal appeals court has reinstated a $2 million lawsuit that claims a Florida carnival operator was injured by a McDonald’s chicken sandwich that was so hot it exploded with hot grease. Plaintiff Frank Sutton claims the grease from the sandwich purchased at a Virginia truck stop burned his lips…

Mar 1, 2010 1:18 PM CST

Forensic Meteorologist Is Go-To Guy in Slip-and-Fall Cases

Bad winter weather is good business for forensic meteorologist Howard Altschule. “Already from the attorneys in New York City I’m getting tons of calls,” says the former TV weatherman who calls himself a weather detective. Altschule talked to the New York Daily News about his work testifying in slip-and-fall cases.…

Feb 26, 2010 6:48 PM CST

Could Toyota Troubles Lead to Redemption for Jailed Minn. Man?

New revelations of safety problems with Toyota automobiles have breathed new life into claims by a Minnesota man who was sentenced to eight years in prison when his 1996 Toyota Camry shot up an interstate ramp and plowed into another vehicle, killing three people. Koua Fong Lee has long insisted…

Feb 25, 2010 5:02 PM CST

Feds Launch Toyota Criminal Probe as SEC Scrutinizes Investor Disclosures

In the latest blows to Toyota Motor Corp.’s once-sterling reputation, federal authorities have announced a criminal probe of automotive safety issues and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is looking into the company’s disclosures to investors concerning unintended acceleration problems. Announcing these developments yesterday, Toyota gave few details and it’s…

Feb 24, 2010 1:52 AM CST

PI Lawyer Takes ‘Honest Services’ Plea; Case Once Thought ‘Massive’ Fizzles

A Nevada personal injury lawyer accused of settling cases to his clients’ detriment has taken a plea, on the eve of a second trial in a federal “honest services” medical insurance fraud case once thought potentially to involve hundreds of professionals. Attorney Noel Gage has agreed to plead guilty on…

Feb 23, 2010 10:02 PM CST

DOJ Nixes Potential Civil Rights Case Over Sean Bell’s Wedding-Day Death in Hail of Police Bullets

Citing a lack of evidence to prove that New York City police “acted willfully” when they fired some 50 shots at an unarmed African-American man leaving his bachelor party on his wedding day in 2006, the U.S. Department of Justice has declined to pursue civil rights charges concerning the death…

Feb 16, 2010 8:08 PM CST

Complex Toyota Case Could Rival Tobacco Litigation, Plaintiffs Lawyers Predict

Plaintiffs lawyers are predicting that what has the potential to be the largest-ever automotive products liability case will result in a complex federal action equivalent to tobacco litigation. It may not be easy to prove the diminished-value claims being asserted in perhaps 30 of the more than 40 would-be class…

Feb 12, 2010 7:53 PM CST

Plaintiffs Lawyers from Over 20 Firms Ask Federal Court to Consolidate Toyota Case

Plaintiffs attorneys from nearly two dozen law firms are asking a federal court in California to consolidate litigation throughout the country over alleged defects in Toyota automobiles into a single complex multi-district case. A hearing will take place in federal court in San Diego next month to decide how to…

Feb 11, 2010 1:07 AM CST

Toyota Answers 1st of 41 Class Actions, Says Case Should Be Dismissed

Responding to the first of at least 41 class action lawsuits alleging sudden acceleration issues in its automobiles, Toyota Motor Corp. has asked a federal judge in Los Angeles judge to dismiss the case. Four of the plaintiffs suffered no “legally cognizable injuries in connection with the alleged defects,” the…

Feb 10, 2010 6:24 PM CST

Plaintiff Credibility Questioned in Advancing 9/11 Health Trials

An Associated Press investigation of dozens of 9/11 ground zero worker cases being considered for trial in May found that several “contain inconsistent or exaggerated claims” about how workers became ill and how much time they spent at the site. U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein has whittled down the list…

Feb 8, 2010 1:04 PM CST

Toyota Lawsuit Tally Tops 30, But One Multidistrict Case May Be the Result

In the wake of Toyota Motor Corp.’s well-publicized recalls of millions of cars over acceleration issues—and customer concerns that other models also have issues or have been adversely affected by the battering of the brand—at least 30 lawsuits have now been filed in the United States and Canada. Many plaintiffs…

Feb 5, 2010 8:40 PM CST

Lawsuits Against Toyota Accelerate Amidst ‘Massive PR Mess’

As news of claimed acceleration—and, on hybrid models, brake—problems related to an already-massive recall of Toyota automobiles seemingly exploded today, so did news of an ever-expanding list of lawsuits against the automobile manufacturer. In Ohio, for instance, attorney Stan Chesley filed a potential class action yesterday on behalf of a…

Feb 4, 2010 12:16 AM CST

Plaintiffs Lawyers Consider Injury, Economic Loss Claims Against Toyota

Toyota’s sudden-acceleration headaches are a boon to trial lawyers. Plaintiffs lawyers are eyeing injury claims on behalf of drivers who claim their cars careened out of control and crashed, the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) reports. Class action lawyers are already filing economic loss claims on behalf of vehicle owners…

Jan 29, 2010 1:18 PM CST

Ex-White House Lawyer Accused of Strangling Wife Now Faces a Civil Suit

The former White House lawyer charged with attempted murder and strangulation in an alleged attack on his wife is now also a defendant in a civil suit she has filed. The suit by Mary Farren, a lawyer at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, seeks $30 million from her husband,…

Jan 28, 2010 12:58 PM CST

Longtime Colleagues Split PI Firm Known for Robert Vaughn Ads

Two longtime colleagues in a well-known North Carolina personal injury firm are parting ways, splitting up their Lewis & Daggett partnership. The firm is known for television advertising that features actor Robert Vaughn. Michael Lewis, a 40-year practitioner, is forming Lewis & Associates with 36 of the Winston-Salem firm’s attorneys…

Jan 22, 2010 5:53 PM CST