The Latest in Mass Torts

  In a press release announcing second-quarter earnings, Bayer AG reported that it has reserved $1.47 billion (1.25 billion euros) for the potential settlement of Essure contraceptive device lawsuits filed against the company. Some of the funds set aside will be used in... To read the entire article, click the title above.

A federal court judge ruled on Friday, July 24, 2020, that 3M created designs for its Combat Arms Earplugs, Version 2 (CAEv2) without U.S. military input, and so the company cannot use the government contract defense at trial.In planning their legal strategy, 3M lawyers aimed to invoke the... To read the entire article, click the title above.

On April 1, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration told companies to stop selling Zantac, and they further urged consumers to throw away any form of the heartburn medicine that might be sitting in household medicine cabinets.Most stores had already taken Zantac, also known as ranitidine,... To read the entire article, click the title above.

Yale School of Public Health epidemiologist Zeyan Liew and his fellow researchers have identified per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as a risk factor for miscarriage.These “forever chemicals” are so called because of their long-term staying power in the human body. The chemicals can survive... To read the entire article, click the title above.

More than 51 percent of small businesses who responded to a survey report they have suffered serious negative impact from COVID-19, according to a study conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. More than 30 percent of respondents say they expect their businesses will feel the effects of the virus... To read the entire article, click the title above.

A Minnesota student has filed a class-action lawsuit against Duke University claiming that he and other enrolled students paid the defendant for a “comprehensive academic experience” and instead got something “far less,” as stated in the complaint.In keeping with social distancing... To read the entire article, click the title above.

In May, as millions of quarantined and socially deprived Americans turned bored eyes to their smartphones, legal storms began to brew for TikTok, an app for sharing short-form mobile videos.  The legal actions center on the company’s use of biometric data and other information collected from... To read the entire article, click the title above.

Since the early 1900’s Johnson & Johnson has proudly advertised its Johnson’s Baby Powder as “Best for the Baby—Best for You.” Although the massive, multinational company continues to stand by this message, it has finally conceded to others who disagree by discontinuing sales of its talc-based... To read the entire article, click the title above.

There is good progress being made in regards to holding businesses accountable that profit from human trafficking. In December 2019, the first plaintiff to file against a hotel or motel for its role in a trafficking case settled with the Massachusetts motel where she was held captive. The survivor... To read the entire article, click the title above.

When the markets are down, high yield funds (closed-end “junk” bonds) suffer more than other investment instruments. This is precisely what is happening today.High yield closed-end funds (CEFs), sometimes referred to as “junk bond funds,” usually trade on stock exchanges, and so supply and demand... To read the entire article, click the title above.

On April 1, 2020, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its request that all Zantac brand heartburn drugs, prescription and over-the-counter, be immediately pulled from the market.This action came amidst the FDA’s ongoing investigation, which concluded that storing this... To read the entire article, click the title above.

The coronavirus outbreak has touched virtually every aspect of our lives, including our court system. On March 18, a New Jersey state court declared it was delaying proceedings in a case against American International Industries, the parent company for talc-product manufacturer Clubman.In the... To read the entire article, click the title above.