Legal Resources
SCOTUS Reinforces Position On Protections For Companies
On June 19, 2017, the United States Supreme Court published an 8-1 decision (Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. v. Superior Court of California, San Francisco County, 582 U.S. __ (2017)) further clarifying and reinforcing historical personal jurisdiction precedent dating back...
Organization Finds Detectable Lead Levels In Baby Food
On June 15, 2017, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) issued a report in which they found “detectable” levels of lead in twenty percent of 2,164 samples of baby food that were tested. Lead samples were most commonly found in fruit juices, root vegetables...
SCOTUS Extends Contacts Protections To Companies
On May 30, 2017, the United States Supreme Court published a decision (BNSF Railway Co. v. Kelli Tyrell, Special Administrator for the Estate of Brent T. Tyrell, Deceased, et al., 581 U.S. ___ (2017)) that reinforced its prior analytical framework regarding personal...
$110 Million Verdict In Missouri’s Fifth Ovarian Talc Case
As we reported earlier this week, the trial of Lois Stemp was ongoing against Johnson & Johnson – a case in which Ms. Stemp alleged that Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder products caused her ovarian cancer. Yesterday, the jury returned its verdict and found in...
Supreme Court of Rhode Island Clarifies Damages Standard
On March 27, 2017, the Supreme Court of Rhode Island issued a decision that provides a large measure of clarity to wrongful death damage recoveries. In O’Connell v. Walmsley, the Supreme Court of Rhode Island addressed the issue of whether the minimum recovery...
Fifth Missouri Trial Begins In Talc Case
In mid-April of 2017, the case of Lois Stemp started trial against Johnson & Johnson, in which Ms. Stemp alleges that Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder products caused her ovarian cancer. Ms. Stemp alleges that she used Johnson & Johnson’s...
Developer Fined by EPA for Lead Paint Violations
Brady Sullivan Millworks, one of the largest development companies in New Hampshire, recently settled a claim filed against them by the Environmental Protection Agency for various lead paint violations at one of its properties. Brady Sullivan Millworks agreed to pay a...
Illegal Dumping of Asbestos Leads To $385,000 In Fines
Seven parties, including multiple companies and the Town of Framingham, recently paid $385,000 in fines to settle a lawsuit filed by the Attorney General in which it was alleged that the parties allowed asbestos-containing waste to be illegally dumped behind a Milford...
Landlords Fined For Discrimination Due To Lead Paint
Four landlords and rental agencies in Western Massachusetts recently agreed to pay $13,000 in penalties after they allegedly discriminated against families with children in attempting to rent available properties, as the properties in question each contained lead...
“D” Grade For MA Schools Due To Levels of Lead In Water
A report recently published by the Environment America Research & Policy Center and U.S. PIRG Education Fund entitled Get the Lead Out: Ensuring Safe Drinking Water for Our Children at School gave Massachusetts a “D” grade when assessing the...
Lead-Free Drinking Water For Schools: MA Proposes Steps
On the heels of a recent report from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in which the state found that 164 public schools in a study of 300 schools had drinking water or water used in food preparation with lead levels above permissible regulatory limits of 15 parts per...
Asbestos Is Massachusetts AG’s Focus In New Initiative
On March 1, 2017, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced the “Healthy Buildings, Healthy Air” initiative regarding asbestos. The aim of the initiative is to better educate schools and companies whose children and workers may come into...