Legal Resources
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...
Talc Lawsuit Ensnares Walgreens and Johnson & Johnson
Fresh off the news of Johnson & Johnson’s defense verdict in a talc-related lawsuit last week, Johnson & Johnson finds itself involved in another talc lawsuit – this time, with Walgreens as a co-defendant. Andrea Harris filed the lawsuit in...
Johnson & Johnson Wins Verdict In Ovarian Talc Case
On March 3, 2017, a St. Louis, Missouri jury returned a verdict in favor of defendants Johnson & Johnson and Imerys Talc in a lawsuit filed by Nora Daniels, in which she claimed that talc in the Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder product caused her ovarian cancer....
Lead Particles In Hair Dye A Health Risk?
The news regarding the Flint, Michigan drinking water dominates the media coverage for anything having to do with lead particles and potential health hazards. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently begun investigating the potential health hazards...
Chemical Levels Lower In Teenagers By Switching Cosmetics
The endocrine system controls the release of hormones in the human body. Numerous studies have shown that certain chemicals – namely, phthalates, parabens, and phenols - may disrupt the endocrine system, which can in turn affect levels of estrogen, androgen, and other...