Legal news affects our everyday lives, whether we notice it or not. Here’s a summary of a few of this month’s major cases.
Oklahoma Opioid Case Could Pave the Way for Cases Across Country
An opioid lawsuit in Oklahoma could decide whether drug companies bear responsibility for the nation’s opioid crisis. Judge Thad Balkman has denied multiple requests to delay the trial and the case is scheduled to begin May 28 at a state courthouse in Norman. A giant opioid case in Cleveland, with nearly 1,600 plaintiffs in multi-district litigation, still lags, leading experts to believe the Norman case may pave the way for countless opioid cases filed across the nation.
Couple Seeks Cost of Raising ‘Unplanned Child’ After Failed Abortion
A couple from Idaho has filed suit against Planned Parenthood over a failed abortion attempt. The couple alleges in their complaint that they traveled 700 miles from Idaho to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to terminate a pregnancy they said they could not afford. However, medication provided to induce the abortion ultimately failed and the couple could not afford a follow-up procedure. They are now filing suit against Planned Parenthood seeking the cost of raising “an additional unplanned child.”
3M Facing Hearing Loss Lawsuit Over Allegedly Defective Ear Plugs
3M is facing a personal injury lawsuit filed by an Army combat veteran who alleges he suffered hearing loss due to a defective ear plug. As the plaintiff alleges, 3M Combat Arms Earplugs failed to protect him from loud combat noises including impulse noises and gunfire, mortar and cannon explosions. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, seeks economic damages for permanent hearing loss and tinnitus. Similar lawsuits have been filed by other injured veterans.
Judge Says Roundup Lawsuit May Be Dismissed, But Offers Second Chance to File Suit
A federal judge in California says a lawsuit alleging that Roundup weed killer causes cancer may be tossed out. The lawsuit was filed against Monsanto, the maker of the weed killer, by a man who alleges the product caused his cancer. While the federal judge said he may dismiss the complaint because the case failed to meet the statute of limitations, he gave the plaintiff’s attorneys a second chance to get the suit to trial this May in federal court.
ACLU Pushes for Legislation Allowing Private Schools to Face Discrimination Complaints
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Maryland is pushing for legislation that would allow private schools to face lawsuits over alleged discrimination. The case centers around two mothers who received a single invitation to a Mother’s Day event at their child’s school. The couple was told by school officials that allowing two mothers to attend the event was in violation of the school’s religious beliefs. Legislation similar to that recently proposed by the ACLU has failed in the General Assembly for the past three years.
Faulty iPad Battery Fire Leads to Man’s Death, Says Lawsuit
Apple is facing a wrongful death lawsuit alleging that a faulty iPad battery led to the death of a New Jersey man. The lawsuit was filed by the daughter of the man who died after the iPad caught fire on Feb. 22, 2017. The lawsuit alleges the man suffered severe injuries when his apartment caught fire. He died at the hospital later that day. “The fire was caused by a defect in the subject tablet, specifically affecting the tablet’s battery pack,” states the lawsuit.
Climate Change Lawsuit Against Federal Government Seeks to Block Pipelines
Nearly two dozen plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the federal government over climate change have filed a motion seeking to block approvals for fossil fuel development on federal land and offshore. The plaintiffs, a group of minors and young adults, filed the motion late Thursday in the Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. It seeks to block coal mining on federal land, oil or natural gas drilling offshore or fossil fuel infrastructure like pipelines, all of which require federal approval.
Our attorneys at McCoy, Hiestand & Smith strive to keep our community informed so check back with us monthly for a Legal News Update.
