California Jury Slams Monsanto With $2B Verdict
From National Public Radio: A California jury has awarded a couple more than $2 billion in a verdict against Monsanto, a subsidiary of Bayer. This is the third recent court decision involving claims that the company’s Roundup weed killer caused cancer. The jury in Alameda County, just east of San Francisco, ruled that the couple, Alva and Alberta Pilliod of Livermore, Calif., contracted non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma because of their use of the glyphosate-based herbicide. They were each awarded $1 billion in punitive damages and an additional $55 million in collective compensatory damages. Many legal experts believe the damages will be drastically reduced on appeal. The verdict represents the third such legal setback for the company in California since mid-2018. In March, a San Francisco jury awarded $80 million to a man who blamed his cancer on his extensive use of Roundup. In August 2018, another San Francisco jury awarded $289 million…
CT Judicial Branch Announces Intent to Close Bristol Courthouse
From the CT Judicial Branch: Chief Court Administrator Patrick L. Carroll III today announced the Judicial Branch’s intent to close the Bristol Geographical Area No. 17 Courthouse, effective at the end of the business day on Friday, August 30, 2019. Effective Tuesday, September 3, 2019, all cases from Bristol will be heard at the New Britain Judicial District courthouse (the New Britain Geographical Area No. 15 Courthouse). Judge Carroll noted that the Judicial Branch has already starting working with Bristol Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu, Chief State’s Attorney Kevin T. Kane and Chief Public Defender Christine Perra Rapillo to facilitate the closing of GA 17, located at 131 N. Main St., and transfer of the cases to the New Britain courthouse at 20 Franklin Square. “We are very grateful to Mayor Zoppo-Sassu for understanding why this move is necessary and beneficial to all parties,” Judge Carroll said. “Moreover, given the daily challenges…
Lawsuit: Monsanto Roundup Attacks Healthy Gut Bacteria
Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki currently represents numerous victims diagnosed with certain kinds of cancers that have been linked to extnded exposure to Monsanto RoundUp. To learn more information check out our Monsanto Lawsuit section or call to speak with a Connecticut Monsanto Lawsuit lawyer at (860) 674-8000. Via Bloomberg: Monsanto Co. has been sued by thousands of farmers and others who blame their cancers on its massively popular Roundup weedkiller. Now Germany’s Bayer AG, which bought the agriculture giant last year, faces a claim that it deceived home gardeners about Roundup’s impact on their gut bacteria and their health. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in federal court in Kansas City, Missouri, claims that labels on products such as Roundup’s Weed & Grass Killer falsely assured consumers that they target an enzyme not found “in people or pets.” According to the suit — which names three consumers as plaintiffs seeking unspecified monetary damages…
Pugnacious Lawyer Rambles On In Case of the Stolen “Stairway”
Fascinating read from Philadelphia Magazine profiling the brash, bright and at times reckless lawyer trying to prove that legendary Rock group Led Zeppelin stole “Stairway to Heaven. “In late September of last year, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Malofiy’s appeal of the 2016 “Stairway to Heaven” verdict and ordered a new trial on the grounds that the court “abused its discretion” when the judge refused to allow Malofiy to play a recording of “Taurus” for the jury. (Members were only allowed to hear an acoustic-guitar rendition played from sheet music.) The retrial is expected to begin in the next year, and Page and Plant, along with bassist John Paul Jones, are again anticipated to take the stand. Copyright experts say Led Zeppelin — which has a long history of ripping off the ancient riffs and carnal incantations of wizened Delta bluesmen and only giving…
Did Johnson & Johnson Know About Asbestos in Talcum Powder?
Contact Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki at (860) 674-8000 to learn about their Talcum Powder Lawsuit (Baby Powder Lawsuit) against Johnson & Johnson. New York (CNN Business) – Johnson & Johnson’s (JNJ) stock fell as much as 11% on Friday — on track for its worst day since 2002 — after a Reuters report said the company knew for decades that asbestos was in its baby powder. The company has been grappling with lawsuits alleging some of its talcum powder products caused cancer. But the Reuters report cites documents and other evidence that indicate company executives, mine managers, scientists, doctors and lawyers knew about the problem and failed to disclose it to regulators or the public. The plunge in J&J’s shares rippled across Wall Street. J&J is among the most widely held stocks and it’s also a member of the Dow. Reuters said it examined documents, including depositions and trial testimony, that show that from at least 1971 to…
CT Appeals Court Overturns Convicted ‘Driver Using Cell Phone’
The Connecticut Appellate Court overturned a Superior Court ruling that had found Mr. Dunbar guilty of violating Connecticut’s Use of Cell Phone While Driving Laws. In the State of Connecticut vs. Lonnie Dunbar “The defendant, Lonnie Dunbar, appeals from his judgment of conviction, rendered after a trial to the court, on the charge of operating a motor vehicle upon a highway while using a hand-held mobile telephone in alleged violation of General Statutes § 14- 296aa (b) On appeal, the defendant claims that the trial court improperly found him guilty under that statute. We agree with the defendant, and accordingly we reverse the judgment of the trial court and remand the case with direction to render a judgment of acquittal.” The court was forced to overturn the conviction as there was a lack of evidence presented to the lower court that would have demonstrated that Mr. Dunbar was “engaged in a…
$55 Million Award in J&J Baby Powder Lawsuit; More Lawsuits to Come
From USA TODAY: A jury ordered Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) to pay $55 million to a woman who claims talc in the company’s baby powder caused her ovarian cancer. On Monday, a jury in St. Louis, awarded Gloria Ristesund $5 million in damages and $50 million in punitive damages, Reuters reported. The verdict comes months after a jury ordered the company to pay $72 million to the family of an Alabama woman who died from ovarian cancer allegedly caused by using the company’s Baby Powder and other products which contained talc. Like the earlier case, Ristesund, used Johnson & Johnson baby powder and other products for feminine hygiene. She was later diagnosed with ovarian cancer, which is now in remission, Reuters reported. She is just one of dozens of women suing the company for what they say was a failure to inform consumers about the dangers of talc, which is…
NFLPA, Brady Lose Appellate Court Decision
Parties: NFL (and NFL Management Council) vs. NFLPA (and Brady) Venue: United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; New York Judge: 3-Judge Panel; Katzman, Chin & Parker How We Got Here: NFL Appealed Judge Berman’s District Court Ruling from Sept. 2015. See Below Ruling: In a split 2-1 decision, the Court of Appeals overturns Judge Berman’s Ruling, and reinstates Brady’s 4-game suspension. “We hold that the Commissioner properly exercised his broad discretion under the collective bargaining agreement and that his procedural rulings were properly grounded in that agreement and did not deprive Brady of fundamental fairness. Accordingly, we REVERSE the judgment of the district court and REMAND with instructions to confirm the award.” What Happens next: The NFLPA and Brady can drop the case, have Brady serve the suspension and Deflategate is essentially over. Or, and based on the way this case has gone, the NFLPA can petition…
Erin Andrews’ Realistic Payday
Fox Sports’ Erin Andrews was awarded $55,000,000.00 by a Nashville Jury as damages in her Peephole Video lawsuit against a Hotel, its owner, and the individual who committed the crime. Here are the quick hits: Plaintiff: Erin Andrews, celebrity Fox Sports’ Reporter previously employed by ESPN Defendants: Michael David Barrett, stalker and videographer of the peephole video. Windsor Capitol and West End Hotel Partners, owner and operators of the Nashville, TN Marriott. Venue: State Court (Civil) Trial by Jury in Nashville, TN before Circuit Court Judge Hamilton Gayden Issue: Are Barrett and Hotel Group liable for Andrews’ economic and non-economic (pain & suffering, mental anguish) damages? Verdict: Plaintiff’s Verdict in the amount of $55M. 51% liability assigned to Barrett. 49% to Hotel. Lion’s share of damages were non-economic in nature, meant to pay for Andrws’ pain and suffering and mental anguish resulting from the invasion of privacy. Commentary: Barrett was…
Chipotle Sickens Customers, Shareholders
The last several months have not been kind to Chipotle; nor to many customers that have eaten there. The Denver based company has been reeling since August, 2015, when dozens of patrons in one of their California restaurants became violently ill; see: diarrhea, vomiting. The breakouts continued throughout 12 other states, culminating with the National News worthy outbreak in the state of Massachusetts. A Brighton, MA Chipotle (part of Boston) got hundreds of patrons sick, with E Coli and Norovirus, including members of the Boston College Men’s Basketball Team. Chipotle is already facing lawsuits filed on behalf of patrons affected by the Norovirus and E Coli breakouts. Now they can add Shareholders to the list of litigant advisories. As news of the outbreaks became public, Chipotle has seen sales drop 40% and has seen its stock drop over $200 a share. That’s a lto of guacamole! As a result, Chipotle…
